In an abandoned building with a beautiful rational architecture from 1934, located in the periphery of Genoa and facing the sea, we developed a conceptual renovation proposal: an hotel and bar (following the former building program) using sustainable and innovative materials mostly made from captured sea elements. The renovated building would work in a self-sufficient way, with the installation of a desalination unit to recycle sea water (showers/WCs...) and solar panels on the roof.
We followed the original shape of the building and get inspired by its Bauhaus spirit: geometry, symmetry, lines and curves... The hotel rooms and suites grow into the original enveloppe of the building, the curved facades reflect into the new separation walls, and the graphical treatment of the flooring suggests a fluid movement between the spaces. The flooring is composed of various terrazzos made of recycled glass (including bottles captured from the sea), in different patterns and tones.
All the materials used are recycled materials, objects from young, committed designers, or vintage, second-hand furniture highlighting classic design symbols from the great modernists. The furniture elements and chosen materials aim to showcase the contemporary sustainable marine design. In that respect, the material 'Marble Sil' from the young designer Hannah Williams, made of recycled silicone, was for example a key reference in the pre-design phase of the project.
Originally, this hotel offered a solarium and rooms with impressive views of the open sea. Our project offers an alternative design within this program, respecting its original, 1930's structure and using innovative materials in a constant dialogue with the element water: a pure immersion in the marine world, which makes it the theatre of a strong architectural, ecological and economic commitment.