Hotel Q!

Berlin

On Thursday evening, November 9^th, 1989, thousands of German citizens hurried to the passage points marking the separation between East and West Berlin after the West German government media announced the opening of the Berlin « wall of shame». The newly united city would now become the capital of a reunified Germany which could look to the future with hope and begin the reconstruction process which continues to this day. Stigmatized for years by its tormented history, Berlin has once again become a cosmopolitan metropolis and a paradise for young people and for German pop culture. A number of neighborhoods abandoned after the tearing down of the wall are now the subject of architectural projects as ambitious as they are innovative, demonstrating that Berlin is a city determined to become more and more contemporary. The buildings partially damaged by the war in Mitte, the central quarter of the capital, welcomes members of the underground scene and other alternative movements, bearing witness to the capital’s cultural rebirth.

A hotel with undulating curves

Very near the Kurfürstendamm, the emblematic boulevard of the German capital which, since 1920, has been home to a huge number of deluxe brand names and restaurants, the Q Hotel, opened in 2004, with its fluid and undulating curves sprung from the imagination of Graft offices architectural team in close cooperation with the site’s owner, Wolfgang Loock. The idea was to combine a futuristic design and zenlike comfort. From the common areas painted in red to the “marmoleum” colored halls, the interiors were all designed to create a continuing flow of shapes and spaces. The result is striking, as there is no right angle anywhere. Fluid lines and curves dominate throughout the entire structure, creating the feeling of a place in perpetual movement. As one crosses the threshold of the hotel, the filtered atmosphere is a gentle invitation to relaxation.

The incandescent lighting in the lobby gives way to sensual, neutral tones in the rooms, which are decorated with material such as imitation white ostrich leather and smooth, satinlike fabrics. It’s not surprising that the Hotel Q has become a home away from home to a great many celebrities. The Bar Q is only accessible to members, and cameras are forbidden in order to guarantee total privacy. Members need only show their cards.

“The bar of the hotel is a must destination for trendy Berliners”, according to Lena Zahradnik, the hotel’s special events coordinator. “Our clientele consists mainly of people belonging to what we call the 5Ms…media, music, money, movies and mode.”