The Fontenay prepares for October launch
Hamburg will soon gain a new architectural spectacle with the 15 October opening of The Fontenay, a 131-key property designed by Jan Störmer of Störmer Murphy and Partners.
Located directly on the banks of Lake Alster, the hotel features a sculptural form resembling three interlocking circles that frame views of the lake and downtown cityscape.
Occupying a substantial 14,000m² plot of prime waterfront real estate, the hotel has been designed as a luxury urban resort covered in thousands of white porcelain tiles that mirror the fluid lines of surrounding parkland and water. The circular, flowing shape of the building’s architecture repeats itself throughout the hotel, and, aside from the partitions dividing each guest room, there are no straight walls and no wall is parallel to another.
Corridors curve around two 27m high open spaces at the heart of the property, whilst guestrooms and balconies follow the shape of the building’s exterior. This design created a challenge when it came to furnishing rooms and public areas, meaning each piece of furniture and carpet has been custom-made to trace the hotel’s geometry.
The Fontenay’s rooftop restaurant will be under the direction of executive chef Cornelius Speinle and will accommodate 40 guests, with a private dining room for an additional 10 diners and a spacious wrap-around al fresco terrace with views over Lake Alster and the city. The property will also house a gourmet restaurant, swimming pool and spa.
“Our reservations systems are now open and we are thrilled to be entering into the final countdown to opening the doors of The Fontenay to our first guests,” comments Managing Director Thies Sponholz. “Hamburg is setting the trend in Europe when it comes to gastronomic and architectural endeavour and it is our hope that The Fontenay soon becomes celebrated nationally and internationally as a timelessly modern classic.”
