Impactful Entry Space: Hotel V Nesplein
In this Impactful Entry Space blog series, we will feature a designer or artist that has created an attention-grabbing design for the main lobby space of a building. Drawing inspiration from completed entry spaces around the world, we travel beyond the image by diving into the design process and concepts behind it.
Today, we feature our interview with Mirjam Espinosa, hotel owner and designer, about the lobby design of Hotel V Nesplein in Amsterdam.
GPI Design: What did the lobby space mean to the building as a whole?
Mirjam Espinosa: The Lobby is the beating heart of the hotel, the centre. It is a unique place where Amsterdammers and internationals can meet and converge. With a bar, a restaurant, an open fireplace, a reading library, a terrace overlooking the Nesplein, and a small stage for events, The Lobby will become a beautiful example of a “Living Lobby”.
This space is meant for all guests; hotel guests, tourists and locals. All type of guests would be able to spend the entire day in The Lobby if they pleased, not having to even leave once. It is a place where locals and hotel guests come to work, relax, socialize and enjoy a high quality drink, snack or meal.
GPI: What were your functional and conceptual goals for the lobby?
Espinosa: We wanted it to be the most important space of the hotel, located on the ground floor, close to the reception and in the same space as the restaurant and bar. In fact, the whole ground floor area is one big open space. This creates a buzzing atmosphere of people checking in and out, people having drinks or dinner, people working on their laptop etc. Hence the term: ‘Living Lobby’: a place where something is happening. We wanted this buzzing vibe to be picked up as soon as you entered the building. Whether you were coming in as a hotel guest or local.
GPI: How did you use specific design tools (such as color, form, materiality, lighting) to create the space?
Espinosa: With a style mixed between chic and raw, the interior of The Lobby breathes a warm and intimate atmosphere. We wanted to create a mix between industrial elements in luxury vintage, with an almost 30’s feel to it, setting. The repurposed theater chandelier in the entryway, the vintage rugs and couches, the old school bar and the library around the open fireplace contrast with the hard industrial pillars, the exposed pipelines and concrete floor and smoked oak flooring the reception area.
GPI: What was the biggest constraint in turning this design into a reality?
Espinosa: We didn’t have big constraints actually, but we did have some challenges. The two biggest challenges were the budget and the time pressure. We had a very tight schedule before the opening and our budget wasn’t that big. But despite of these two aspects we managed to put down a valuable and good product on the market and that was our goal.
Another challenge was to create a subtle reference to the theatre, since The Lobby is situated in a very famous theatre district in Amsterdam. In our opinion we succeeded to do this without being excessive.
GPI: What makes this space impactful?
Espinosa: What makes this space impactful is that we have actually succeeded in what we had in mind. The lobby area has become a very buzzing and pleasant space for our guests to pretty much do whatever in. It is very popular with the locals, which creates an amazing energy combined with the internationals. You pick up on this vibe as soon as you walk in the door, which is a great and welcoming feeling.
We wanted the lobby to become the heart and soul of the hotel, and it has become just that. There is always life. From the moment you walk in you are feeling at home. We think that’s something everybody wants.
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Many thanks to Mirjam for sharing the design inspiration for this space. Stay tuned to our next Impactful Entry Space interview coming up in two weeks. For more visual inspiration, follow our Impactful Entry Space board on Pinterest.
Image credits: Hotel V Nesplein