Stilwerk Hotel KantGaragen

Stilwerk Hotel KantGaragen in Berlin, Germany

At the heart of Berlin’s Charlottenburg district, the stilwerk Hotel KantGaragen – one of two stilwerk hotels in Germany – recently opened its doors in the city’s only remaining multi-storey car park from the interwar period. The KantGaragen car park, now a listed building, was an architectural sensation when it was built in the 1930s in response to the growing number of cars in Berlin. It was constructed in the style of the New Objectivity and its revolutionary two-way spiral ramp remains the oldest surviving double helix of any multi-storey car park in Europe. The glass curtain wall – the only one of its kind – was also faithfully restored as part of the KantGaragen renovation and conversion project. The stilwerk showrooms, pop-up stores and exhibition spaces, as well as the new, adjacent stilwerk hotel, give a subtle nod to the history of the historic building and combine urban lifestyle with exclusive home design.

This is not the stilwerk group’s first foray into the city of Berlin – for more than 20 years, stilwerk Berlin-Charlottenburg has been synonymous with furnishing, home design and lifestyle with a wide variety of design objects. Now, this new location is taking shopping to a whole new level. “We consciously design showrooms. It’s not really about shopping per se, but about getting to know the products, experiencing design and pairing the whole experience with art and culture as well as gastronomy and hospitality,” explains centre manager Jörn Friedrichsen with an air of satisfaction. “We have created an entire universe, and that’s our statement: making design an immersive experience.”

Like the stilwerk Hotel Heimhude in Hamburg, the new establishment in Berlin has a bright, welcoming atmosphere. The focal point in each of the hotel’s 61 studios and lofts are the elegant Thonet 119 F bentwood lounge chairs, created by renowned German product designer Sebastian Herkner. The use of four different high-gloss colours – dark red, dusky pink, dark blue and mint – injects a pop of colour into the rooms, which are otherwise decorated in neutral tones. The chair’s striking design with a seat made of traditional Viennese wickerwork fits perfectly in the guest rooms and provides a comfortable place to sit.

Chairs and bar stools from the 404 collection, designed by renowned industrial designer Stefan Diez, feature prominently in the hotel’s dining areas. In the restaurant and bar area of the new hotel, a total of 26 black moulded plywood chairs from the 404 range, as well as 14 bar stools (404 H) encourage guests to converse and linger. The chairs’ aesthetically reduced form gives the public areas of the stilwerk Hotel KantGaragen a contemporary feel while ensuring comfort.

Guests have the opportunity to experience the pieces from traditional manufacturer Thonet up close, perhaps taking inspiration for their own homes. They can give the armchairs, chairs and stools a try during their stay before making a purchase.