Blending natural elements and formed in a dialogue between interior and exterior, design firm THDP has reimagined Voco Venice Mestre – The Quid, an IHG hotel in Venice, Italy.

The lobby area is now a fluid space connected to the restaurant, while eight floors of guestrooms have been fully refurbished alongside the hotel’s restaurant, lobby bar and congress centre, which includes five modular meeting spaces that can be reconfigured for various occasions.

The design narrative derives from the most common perception of Mestre, which is tied to arrival by air. Mestre is known to be a connective location, bridging the Venetian seaside with the rich countryside of Veneto.

The guest experience begins with a grounding arrival in the reception and bar, which are designed as a continuation of the surrounding green gardens and lands with an indoor-outdoor concept. Guestrooms meanwhile encapsulate an aerial view of the laguna illuminated by the sunsets of Venice, embodying a vision of the unique landscape from the air in the nautical palette. The colour scheme for communal areas on the other hand draws inspiration from the Venetian laguna’s foliage and earthy elements, with rich tones of the greenery complementing lighter upholstery colours and tan leathers that ground the design.

The welcome garden makes use of an empty space that was otherwise passed through without a second glance. The deep blue lacquered wall panelling behind the reception desk is embellished with brass signage and statement gold lighting arching overhead. As the first area the guest encounters, it is designed to be surprising but natural – engaging the eye from the street.

In the lobby, a pool table and stylish retro games complete the scene. The fresh addition of a games area creates a smooth transition to the bar at its centre, which both faces the internal courtyard and is visible to new guests arriving at reception. The bar design boasts a decorative gantry adorned with contemporary Venetian glass objects, and a rear wall cladded with glossy green tiles and backlit bottle display shelves.

The main dining restaurant meanwhile extends outside into the lounge garden, and its design reflects this indoor-outdoor fusion. The restaurant finishes are implicative of an exterior space too, with large scale terrazzo flooring, wood fence screens, large blue tiling and an abundance of plants.

From a sustainable standpoint, the hotel is green in many ways, including use of ecological materials in the interior design and the prioritisation of sustainability by operator HNH Hospitality. The IHG Green Engage programme also works to cut waste, water and energy consumption as well as reducing plastic to a minimum and replacing single-use plastic vessels with glass or paper alternatives. LED lighting is implemented throughout and monthly utilities checks are carried out to minimise waste. To reduce packaging waste, courtesy sets have been replaced with bulk dispensers in both the guestrooms and the public areas. Pillows and duvets are made from recycled PET bottles, and guests have the choice of ecological daily room cleaning.

CREDITS
Photography: © Janos Grapov