After the complete redesign of several areas, including the lobby, restaurant, meeting rooms and bathrooms, one of the landmark hotels in the Italian city of Milan is sporting a fresh new look. The renovation, carried out jointly by Spanish architect Álvaro Sans and Vittorio Grassi Architects, has given a new look to the Meliá Milano, a hotel located in Via Masaccio, very close to the trendy area known as City Life, the new centre of luxury shopping in the city.

The functional and architectural approach of the renovation project led to the rebirth of this 20-year-old hotel, opening up spaces by creating a new, spacious and flexible layout of the common areas. The interior gardens, high skylights and contemporary use of materials and textures give the bar, restaurant and co-working area a sophisticated feel.

The concept of Hayal Kahvesi, a restaurant chain in Turkey, goes beyond serving lunch and dinner, as it turns into a concert hall at night. And in keeping with this multi-disciplinary concept, one of its premises in Istanbul has been refurbished. ‘During the day it is a good place to eat and to meet. At night, it turns into a club-lounge,’ explain the architects and interior designers working with Tanya Ildiroğlu and her studio Margo Interior and Product Design on the project.

The entire design revolves around both experiences and tries to meet the needs of the customers. ‘We are organic beings, who need food to nourish the body and music to nourish the soul. We live in one of the largest metropolises and have to deal with a lot of hustle and bustle. Therefore, one of the objectives was for the interior design to be able to restore all of the negativity of the day and turn it into something positive,’ the designers explain.

This eight storey building, whose façade stands out in the landscape, is situated in the residential neighbourhood Aguas Férreas, in Lugo (Spain). For its design, “one of the basic premises of the developer, Dmanán Viviendas, was to design and execute an environmentally friendly building with an appearance that would stand out from its surroundings”, explains architect Patricia Montes from Aringal SL, the architecture and engineering firm in charge of the project. Therefore, from the very beginning of the project, Aringal’s work focused on combining the client’s objectives with the philosophy of its own company, which is very committed to incorporating sustainability into its projects.

The majestic appearance of the façades and their clean design gives this building a unique character. “The straight forms, terraces, window openings and materials used are its unique features”, says architect Patricia Montes. Two materials were combined in the façades of this building, creating a play of textures: Dekton Edora, a light grey shade with a minimalist look, and Corten steel.

The former Finnish State Railways VR headquarters building, originally designed by Eliel Saarinen and completed in 1909, has been transformed into a Scandic Hotel. The building is strongly tied to Helsinki’s railway station, an important part of the cityscape as well as culturally and historically significant, as it served as the railway administration headquarters for almost a century. The design work on the hotel was exceptionally demanding. The building is protected under the Act on the Protection of the Built Heritage.

Representing Eliel Saarinen’s Art Nouveau style, the former Finnish State Railways VR headquarters building was renovated and expanded into an elegant hotel with almost 500 rooms as well as meeting and event facilities. The cultural and historical landmark’s demanding renovation and change of use was carried out in cooperation with the Finnish Heritage Agency and the city of Helsinki.

The renovation was an exceptionally demanding project. Protected parts of the building include its entire exterior and roofing, as well as its main lobby, main staircase and hallways, the longest of which is 159 metres long.

Noli Studios is the first co-living project developed by NREP (Nordic Real Estate Partners) in the historic neighbourhood of Katajanokka, in Helsinki. For this first project, NREP wanted the best partners and therefore entrusted the renovation and interior design to dSign Vertti Kivi & Co, a company with extensive experience in office, restaurant and hotel projects.

The project involved a change of use of a 1940’s office building. Work began at the end of 2016 and was completed three years later, in October 2019. A total of 263 studios of between 18 and 24 m2 were built, with a total built-up area of 12,000m2. In short, a project of significant scale that needed to “do well” in order to be replicated in other Helsinki neighbourhoods. Indeed, NREP opened a second co-living in November 2020 and expects to expand to a further ten new hotels in the next five years.

The renovation process was not without its challenges. For the renovation of the façade, the dSign team was forced to completely remove the old brick façade, even out the different floor heights and level the original concrete pillars. For three years, architects, contractors, site managers and even the Finnish Heritage Agency made a huge effort to meet the deadlines.

The Arrecife Gran Hotel & Spa is a classic style hotel on the island of Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands. Better known as the Gran Hotel, at 54 metres high and 15 storeys, it holds the record for being the tallest building on the island since it was built in 1970. The five-star hotel, which completed its renovation in April 2021, will reopen in September with fully upgraded suites.

The architect Quirina Morales is responsible for the refurbishment and interior design of these suites. For the bathroom update, she opted for a white material which contrasts with the blue of the sea and is resistant, but at the same time aesthetically pleasing. Silestone Calacatta Gold was chosen as a nod to the classic style of the hotel, which is over 40 years old.

The fifty Calacatta Gold countertops have been designed with a very modern cut that allows towels to be hung, thus avoiding the use of other elements and improving functionality. The washbasins –also in white– have been placed over the countertop, giving a neat and modern effect.