Upcycling, circular economy and regionality - creative concepts for sustainable hotel interiors
The sustainable design of hotel spaces is challenging and significant, both in terms of its impact on guests and financially. However, it’s also a very exciting task! The decisive factor is the careful selection of materials and service providers under sustainable criteria as well as the willingness to try out new things. This requires know-how, creativity and entrepreneurial courage. The sustainable concepts and ideas of the Green Pearls partners are as diverse as the interior design of their hotels.
The selection of materials from a regional perspective
Façades and outdoor areas that are designed with a generous amount of wood have a warm and inviting feel. In addition, they create an ideal visual connection to the surrounding nature. For a sustainable design of timber floors and façades indoors and outdoors, the selection of the right wood is crucial. If these come from the region from well-known suppliers, long transport routes and the deforestation of protected areas are avoided. Through purchase and installation by regional specialist companies, the greatest possible added value is achieved for the region.
The Hotel Schwarzwald Panorama attaches great importance to these principles and has used 100% northern Black Forest timber for the redesign of their sun terrace. The 40 new relaxation loungers are also made of regional timbers. The outdoor room dividers create cosy separate rest areas for the 40 ergonomically designed individual and couple loungers.
The Biohotel Sturm also used timber as a building element in the redesign of Otto's Restaurant to create various guest areas. Vertical wooden slats as room dividers create a feeling of privacy. Square wooden beams made of silver fir were used for the suspended ceiling connecting all areas and the walls were finished with natural clay plaster.
Upcycling: why not just reuse?
Upcycling and do-it-yourself are high on the agenda at the Creativhotel Luise in Erlangen. As far as possible, existing materials and furniture were reused for the renovated spa area. For example, a self-built sideboard made of natural wood was created for one of the massage rooms and the wooden deck for the bathtub was made by the hotel itself. Old becomes new: the washbasins in the guest WCs were built from the drawers of an old cupboard, and in the newly designed relaxation area, shutters that are no longer needed serve as decoration. Even old boilers and discarded grates find a new purpose at the Creativhotel Luise: they serve as planters and climbing aids in the hotel's atrium.
Circular economy and renewable materials
Technological progress and growing environmental awareness mean that there are more and more ideas and possibilities for using recyclable materials and re-purposing what is no longer needed. Carpeting made of recycled fishing nets, a wall made entirely of sand, natural mattresses and a ceiling made of straw – the Creativhotel Luise immediately made 'das nachwachsende Hotelzimmer ®' (The Renewable Hotel Room) into a registered trademark.
The Schwarzwald Panorama is also redesigning its 97 hotel rooms according to the Cradle to Cradle© principle during the upcoming renovation. After the upgrade, all furniture and textiles will be made of materials that are 100 % biodegradable or recyclable.
This and That
Sustainability is also evident in details of the hotel's operation. For example, the Schwarzwald Panorama recently started offering ecological laundry bags. The fleece bags are made of corn starch and are biodegradable. At the Creativhotel Luise, the room keys themselves are made of bamboo wood.
We will present further examples of sustainable hotel furnishing concepts in the second part of the newsletter.