Bold Design, Sustainable Values
A Clouth Quarter hotel makes a statement with vibrant colour and purposeful responsibility
At the Koncept Hotel Josefine in Nippes, women take centre stage—a principle embedded in the hotel's very name. This young, design-forward establishment honours female empowerment through its tribute to Josefine Clouth, a Cologne native who headed the Clouth Gummiwerke in the 1910s. Her factory produced groundbreaking innovations: components for the first Zeppelin, the first transatlantic cable, and the first rubber bicycle tyres. Opened in 2021, the Josefine joins two other concept hotels in Cologne—the Hotel International and Hotel zum kostbaren Blut. Each property draws inspiration from its unique urban context, inviting guests to experience the city through a distinctly crafted narrative.
Beyond authenticity, digitalisation and sustainability are core pillars for this emerging hotel group. Operating under the banner of "Fairesponsibility," Koncept Hotels aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and published its first sustainability report in 2019. The company channels cost savings from digital innovations directly back into environmental and social initiatives—a commitment that earned it the cross-industry Digital Leader Award in 2018.
Situated in western Clouth Quarter near the district's focal airship plaza, the Josefine features over 40 accessible rooms across three sizes: Medium, Large, and Extra Large (20, 30, or 35 m² respectively). Cologne architects md3+ conceived the interior architecture, materials, and colour palette, while Spanish designer Rosa Badenes—based in Cologne—orchestrated the furnishings and décor. Against the building's cool, industrial aesthetic of exposed concrete and unfinished pipes, Badenes introduces striking visual warmth through Sancal's vibrant, organically sculpted furniture. These pieces infuse the space with character—simultaneously inviting, youthful, and sophisticated. Gan rugs with their distinctive patterns and lighting from Brokis, Oluce, and Gallotti & Radice—including iconic design classics—create powerful visual anchors. Boldly painted walls and witty decorative touches complete the picture, delivering that final edgy flourish.
Photography Credits:
Koncept Hotels
(Published in CUBE Cologne Bonn 03|22)
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