Project: Hotel Alberte
Architecture: Tremend Architects
Lead architect: M. Eng. arch Magdalena Boule – CEO of Tremend,
Project manager: M. Eng. arch Teresa Łopuska
Preparation of technical documentation: M. Eng arch Marta Idczak,
Conceptual design: M. Eng. arch Magdalena Boule, M. Eng. arch Teresa Łopuska, M. Eng. arch Kinga Knajp,
Assisted by: M. Eng. arch Marta Zielińska, Ms Borys Sulecki
Location: Paris, France
Completed 2023
The boutique hotel in Paris, designed by Tremend, is now open, featuring works by Polish artists!
Paris, the world capital of fashion and style, has been charmed with its beauty since the time of great reconstruction in the 19th century. The elegant townhouse with large windows and green spaces built at the time became a hallmark of the refined aesthetic of the metropolis. In one such townhouses, a boutique hotel has just been created, designed by the Warsaw architectural studio Tremend.
Supervised by the city’s prefect, Georges-Eugène Haussmann’s reconstruction of Paris, which took place between 1852 and 1870 and is also known by his name as Haussmannian, introduced a new architectural style that was later adopted by other European cities as well. This reconstruction completely transformed the face of Paris. During that time, much of the medieval architecture with its narrow streets was demolished in favour of elegant townhouses. Several public buildings were erected, new streets and boulevards were constructed, which still adorn the city today. The urban sewage system was redesigned, new parks and gardens were opened.
In one of such townhouses, located almost at the foot of the Eiffel Tower in the historical 7th district, the boutique Hotel Alberte now welcomes guests, with its modernization designed by the architects from Tremend studio.
Working on this project was a double challenge and a tremendous satisfaction for us. A competition was announced for the hotel project and the entire modernization, which our studio won. Our team was responsible for the modernization of the façade and the entire building, interior design, and a formal part of the construction.
We were responsible for all applications and building permits, the architectural design of the townhouse modernization, coordinating various engineering projects, interior decoration design, and construction management during the building process. An additional challenge was that this was a foreign investment, conducted entirely in French, although there are bilingual individuals on our team. The project work coincided with the pandemic, which made certain stages more challenging due to travel restrictions. Therefore, we are even more delighted that the Alberte can now welcome guests within its walls, says Magdalena Federowicz-Boule, President of the Tremend Board.
Referring to the history
The 19th-century Housmann-style townhouse, located near Hotel des Invalides, had previously hosted a hotel within its historic walls. For a long time, it was the Prince Hotel. The current owners have not only changed the building’s façade and interiors, for which the architects from Tremend are responsible, but also its name.
The new hotel operates as Hotel Alberte, which is a tribute to the great-grandmother of the hotel’s owners, who bore this name and was also the founder of the family business, specializing in the production of the bottle cork and cognac. Respect for tradition and history is also reflected in the interior design, with some of the historic elements of the previous furnishings being preserved.
Parisian chic
The capital of France delights tourists with its refined elegance, art, and exclusivity and the Hotel Alberte fits perfectly into this ambience. The 4-star boutique property caters to the needs of those who appreciate luxury and an intimate atmosphere. Guests have access to the 23 rooms, including 20 classic rooms, 2 apartments, and 1 room adapted for people with disabilities. The architects at Tremend designed the interiors in a “modern classic” style, seamlessly blending classical elements with contemporary design.
The backdrop to the new décor is the exposed, authentic raw sand-coloured stone on the walls. We wanted to preserve as many of the original design elements as possible. We managed to save the historic doors and railings, which helps maintain the spirit of the history in this place. We also applied our eco-friendly approach to design and recycling, says Magdalena Federowicz-Boule.
The Tremend architects designed the hotel’s interiors in a light colour palette, which predominates in both the rooms and common areas. The warm beige tones are balanced by stronger cognac, copper and contrasting dark blue accents. Natural and tactile materials such as wood, stone, copper, wool, and velour create a luxurious ambience reminiscent of a warm, pleasant townhouse. As a result, guests will feel at home here.
On the ground floor of the hotel, in the lobby area, there is a reception desk, which is also a table where you can sit in the evening and taste “homemade” wine or cognac. At the back of the reception area, an elegant bar piece of furniture and an illuminated showcase with a collection of bottles of wine and cognac, is proudly displayed as the hotel’s showpiece. There is also a small restaurant area with a buffet. In the basement, however, there is a breakfast room, the interior of which can be easily adapted to function as a conference room. After the pandemic experience, the Tremend architects opted for flexibility in the use of the rooms in the interior design.
Polish art in Parisian style
As with many of Tremend’s projects, there was also a mix of design and art. The MAG Gallery and its collaborating artists were invited to work together. This is not the first joint realisation. The MAG Gallery, known for its unique talent in selecting and furnishing hotels with art, in collaboration with Tremend, creates authentic space arrangements that win the hearts of guests. Their fruitful collaboration has repeatedly produced surprising results, and the latest project confirms that their creative synergy is ongoing.
The Tremend architects tested many artistic concepts to find the perfect combination for this project. The painter Magdalena Głodek and her concept of a personalised art collection #Originalberte containing 24 paintings were selected from among many talented artists.
“The inspiration for creating this collection was the context that links the hotel owners with the production of high-quality cognac, as well as their connection with nature and intergenerational relationships. Therefore, in the paintings, you will find references to nature, vineyard landscapes, and linearly arranged rows of plants.
“It is an artistic interpretation, a metaphor for nature and man, where the lines are like roots, being intergenerational connections. Maroon and all the shades derived from it, evoke the colour and liquid structure of the liquor. Strong accents of colour, black and deep earth tones, appear gracefully, organically emerging from a palette of grey and white. The surface of these textural canvases can be felt under the fingers. Each trace of paint, layer by layer, consistently applied, creates a record of history in the artist’s creative process.” We read Izabela Rogals’s curatorial text.
Paintings painted by artist Magdalena Głodek decorate the walls of the elegant rooms of the Alberte Hotel. The colours of the interiors designed by Tremend can be found in the painter’s works. Delicate whites and beiges contrasted with the golden shade of cognac, intermingle with each other, passing from the furniture and materials used in the rooms to the paintings.
This fruitful collaboration between MAG Gallery and Tremend confirms that their mission is to transform spaces into living art, leaving an unforgettable experience for guests. It is a partnership and commitment to art that focuses on expression and emotion, creating unique spaces where every detail tells a story.
An artistic touch has also been introduced to the Alberte Hotel project by Your Art Maison Gallery, which specialises in art consulting for investors, architects, and developers. The gallery represents artists and designers, both Polish and international, who create original works as well as custom artistic installations tailored to the client’s space. In projects for Hotel Alberte, the gallery collaborated with art director Piotr Tarasiuk, known for book covers, albums, and designs for public and museum spaces. This collaboration resulted in several sets of graphics that currently adorn the rooms of the boutique hotel. These graphics were designed to harmonize with the interior’s character and colour scheme. They stand out for their linearity, organic shapes, and gentle and subtle colour accents. This kind of ‘tailor-made’ art is an eye-catching element of the décor, and at the same time, thanks to its seamless integration with the overall interior, allows viewers to infringing it freely without encroaching on their comfort zone.
