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The new Dome Hotel located on Miesnieku Street in Old Riga’s has been operational since the end of summer. The 17th century dwelling house has been transformed into a 21st century design hotel.
Client: “Baltijas dizaina viesnīcas”; Architect studio: “Sudraba arhitektūra”. Project team – Reinis Liepiņš, Ieva Leja, Ilze Liepiņa, Ainārs Plankājs, Normunds Kagainis, Rihards Vietriņš, Ieva Radziņa, Renāte Pablaka, Roberts Valdmanis, Gundega Dūduma-Ozola.
In conversation with architect Reinis Liepiņš Dizaina Studija we broached just one subject – how to creatively adapt an old building, which is worse for wear, for a new purpose. The structure of the building, which can still be observed today, originated in the 18th century: two storeys with a great hall, characteristic of the era. The space which today boasts the lobby, used to house a jambless fireplace. The building underwent its most significant reconstruction in 1870, when a third storey was added, with a new tile roof, and the aesthetics of eclecticism appeared. In the early 20th century, printing workshops were opened in the building, while in the Soviet era it was used for apartments. What should be done with these layers of heritage? Discard them as unneeded ballast or use in reconstruction as a binding agent for a different story to create an added interest for a design hotel? When asked about the main stepping stones which helped to create the image of the emerging design, Reinis Liepiņš uses the historic value of the building as a base argument: the self-sufficiency of the existing structures, which do not require an addition of any superfluous things. All that is needed is the adjustment of the existing features to suit the needs of the newly-determined function of the building. The quality of the interior has to be subordinated to the basic structure of the building which becomes its main aesthetic value. The wall finishes, their colours, and the details of the layout have to conceptually fit into the structure of the building and only supplement the desired image. The image of the hotel is intended to be like a miniature old town, where you cannot see far ahead in the labyrinth of streets, but you can expect a new discovery or a surprising interplay of fine details around every corner. These small discoveries might well become the signature feature of the Dome Hotel because each hotel room has its own mood with an individually planned layout, which has not only been inspired by the philosophy of the project, but also by the character of the old building.
Of course, hotel guests cannot inspect the special features of every guest room, but on a return visit it might be possible for the visitor to gain an additional impression not only of the hotel, but also the old town itself by observing it through the window of a different room. The vertical garden of the inner courtyard (gardener Matīss Ozols) is an effective feature, whereby the green wall which reminds of a periodically overglazed painting follows the changes of the seasons and highlights the depression-inducing brick wall as one of the hotel’s extra features. Here we encounter another important aspect: the authors have not only considered the overall structure of the building, but have also paid serious attention to the way in which every detail fits in, looking at each detail from various angles. Once again, this demonstrates a comparison with a walk in the old town, where looking back at a street you have already been down you notice something that you did not see when heading from the other direction. When planning layouts, you must always have eyes in the back of your head, because that which happens in architecture also applies to any other field: the users/viewers do not just stand in the most advantageous viewing point but they edge in and twist their heads any way they want, and manage to notice something which can not necessarily be recognized as the very best solution. A nuance to be highlighted is the fact that the authors have chosen the details very carefully, and the guests are also left with an opportunity to freely take away their own assortment of impressions. A rich rhythmic interplay of textures and colours has been achieved by using concentrated means of expression.
Reinis Liepiņš emphasises that the walls of the hotel are white, except in the luxury suites. However, the interior feels saturated in colour and creates a sense of a lavish environment. Time will show which of the features will be valued by the guests of the hotel, restaurant and sauna, but Dizaina Studija thinks it is necessary to give architect Reinis Liepiņš the chance to talk about the ideas behind the design.