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Architects: Grüntuch Ernst Architects
- Area: 6000 m²
- Year: 2022
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Photographs:Patricia Parinejad, Markus Gröteke, Robert Rieger, Mario Hegewald
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Lead Architects: Armand Grüntuch, Almut Grüntuch-Ernst
Text description provided by the architects. Hidden, yet amid Berlin. Surrounded by lush gardens and interconnected courtyards. A historic ensemble of buildings, carefully transformed into a unique retreat for peace and comfort in the middle of the vibrant city. As a family-run hotel, Wilmina offers its guests 44 individually designed rooms and suites, a roof terrace above the penthouse as well as a library, fireplace lounge, bar, spa, pool, and gym. Discover a place that couldn‘t be more relaxed. Wilmina stands for a revitalized ensemble in a special location.
At Kantstrasse 79 in Berlin-Charlottenburg, a former court building, and women‘s prison have been transformed, extended, and reprogrammed by Grüntuch Ernst Architekten. In a sensitive dialog with history, the architects have succeeded in radically transforming the building into a place of longing with a hotel, restaurant and bar. A gem for a deliberately chosen retreat. In this lively yet contemplative place, guests can escape the hustle and bustle of everyday city life without missing out on interaction and communal togetherness.
From Kanstraße, one of the busiest streets in West Berlin, guests enter the front building at number 79. Through a sequence of courtyards, they enter deeper and deeper into the ensemble, whose passageways and rooms become increasingly quiet and private. The central garden courtyard is lushly planted and offers a surprising island of nature in the middle of the city block. Hotel guests enter the lobby from here and are greeted by a bright, high-ceilinged room. To the left, the lobby is connected to the inviting fireplace lounge via a gallery.
To the right, a staircase leads to the atrium, the heart of the building, which connects the four existing floors and the newly added penthouse floor. A light installation with glass pendant luminaires emphasizes the height of the air space, they exude a playful lightness amid the quiet, almost monastic atmosphere. Wilmina offers 44 guest rooms: the spectrum ranges from cozy rooms (11 m2) to the spacious Garden Loft (75 m2) with its staircase. All guest rooms combine historical authenticity with modern luxury and comfort, without imposing distracting opulence. Despite their similarities, each room is unique. No two rooms are alike, but in all, light colors, soft textures, and warm, high-quality materials create calming retreats.
Clean lines and the best views characterize the new penthouse floor. Floor-to-ceiling windows allow views of the courtyards and gardens. The new rooms are minimalist, clean, and calm; yet they have a poetic touch. In front of the panoramic windows, a curtain made of fine metal chains provides a high level of privacy and at the same time protection from solar heating. The filigree chains are spring-mounted and move easily in the wind. When the metal glistens in the sun, the curtain envelops the historic building in an elegant shimmering veil. The roof terrace offers views of the ensemble‘s rooftop gardens and courtyards, as well as expansive views over the surrounding Charlottenburg rooftop landscape.
