Jean Nouvel presents the Renaissance Barcelona Fira Hotel

“A natural paradise of 110m in height”, was the target of Jean Nouvel and José Ribas from Ateliers Jean Nouvel and Ribas & Ribas, responsible for the design of Renaissance Barcelona Fira Hotel, when they created this building located in Plaza Europa in L´Hospitalet.

Both wanted to detail to the press the specifics of this hotel-garden with a presentation May, 9th, that was attended by the authorities, as well as Manuel Vallet, President of Catalonia Hotels and Michel Miserez, representative of Marriott International. The Renaissance belongs to U.S. chain and is managed by Catalonia.

Designed “to perfectly match Barcelona and its climate“

The sound of the flashes permanently accompanied the Pritzker winner, who captured all the attention and confessed to be very proud of his creation, a project that has taken seven years to complete. Nouvel stressed above all that the hotel was designed “to perfectly match Barcelona and its climate.”

Good architecture, stated the Frenchman, is one that allows the public to know, with only a single detail, where they are. In that regard, he noted that in the hotel there are several hints to Barcelona´s architecture.

Palms everywhere

The identity, the focus of the hotel, Nouvel explained, are the palms, a reference to Barcelona and the Mediterranean. These are everywhere, starting with the basement dedicated to events, which is organized around a courtyard filled with these trees and offers 11 function rooms with a total of 1.200m2 for events.

The obsession with the palms also extends to the rooms, in several, there are lamps with 70s style drawings of palm trees that cast shadows of branches across the room. These lamps, which turn smoothly at the pace of a temperature sensor for Nouvel and Ribas are a staple that evokes and quiet enjoyment. For the French, “throughout architecture, the small pleasures evoked by the light are very important.”