The design strategy is elegant in its simplicity: sensitively capture the character of surrounding buildings, reinterpret it thoughtfully, and blend it with contemporary elements. This approach defines the hotel in Metzingen's historic old town. Evidence of this philosophy appears throughout—from the pronounced base level to the timber-framed windows with shutters, the restrained gable roof without eaves, classic green hues, and refined clinker masonry on the façade. This isn't merely a place to rest your head. Rather, it's a modern social space functioning as a residential community, with a fully accessible living room serving as its vibrant heart.

An open-plan layout seamlessly merges the bar-reception, breakfast area, and lobby into one inviting space. The hotel houses 23 individually designed guest rooms—two wheelchair accessible—plus four generous suites on the top floor, accommodating up to four guests. Functionality and atmosphere converge as guiding principles, expressed through the thematic inspiration of forest and fawn. Natural materials dominate: exposed concrete, screed, tiles, and wood, complemented by furnishings in wood, metal, and textile. Layered lighting design enhances the ambiance with three carefully considered elements—subtle ambient illumination from minimalist fixtures, golden pendant lights framing the bar, and crystal glass luminaires in the lounge and breakfast zones. Their forms and warm finish evoke the delicate beauty of dewdrops.

Guest room walls are lined with birch plywood, evoking the warmth and intimacy of traditional wood-panelled rooms. Cabinetry, beds, and wardrobes blend seamlessly into the wooden architecture. The diamond pattern—subtly referencing a deer enclosure—recurs as a unifying design motif: in safety railings, diagonally laid bathroom tiles, the bar area, angled acoustic panels in the common spaces, and as a paving pattern in the outdoor areas. The project brought together architects Michael Meyer (lead), Benjamin Krampulz, and interior designer Monika Hesprich, collaborating as krampulz meyer architekten.

www.meyer-architekten.net

Photography Credits:

Roland Halbe
www.rolandhalbe.eu

(Featured in CUBE Stuttgart 01|20)