PROJECT INFO
Project duration Three years
Project size Courtyard Level GIA App. 1,890 sq m Apartment Level GIA App. 12,575 sq m Courtyard Level External 1,350 sq m Rooftop Level External 1,240 sq m
Open date July 2022
Based in the industrial Obersendling district of Munich, the 360-studio aparthotel occupies a monumental ex-Siemens ofice building. As an alternative to the typically material intensive approach to retrofitting, Holloway Li developed its low-impact and adaptive re-use design approach, exposing the bare bones of the existing concrete frame with carefully curated minimal layers of ‘dressing’.
Left, clockwise WunderLocke is underpinned by the Mural Farmhouse, a unique farm-to-table concept that provides food and beverage options across seven floors
Above right, clockwise As south west Munich solidifies its reputation as a hub for artists, creatives and tech entrepreneurs, WunderLocke has also been designed to provide a creative hub. This includes use of low-impact and reusable materials to enhance sustainability
‘WunderLocke was conceived to be a dynamic destination that can cater for both locals, holidaymakers, and business travellers,’ says Alex Holloway, co-founder and creative director of Holloway Li. ‘South west Munich is now host to a burgeoning community of artists, creatives, and tech entrepreneurs, and the idea was that the space could also provide a creative hub nearby.’
The practice grounded its approach to the existing structure by referring to the rich theory and aesthetic of artist Vasily Kandinsky, who was based in Munich for a significant period in the early 20th century. Kandinsky’s work explores a closer relationship to nature through abstraction, rather than through more figurative approaches favoured at the time. He believed that by connecting with the ‘Innerer Klang’ (inner voice) of things, an artist could reveal the natural essence of objects and materials. The resulting visual language explored the tension
between structure and amorphous masses of colour.
The designers used Kandinsky’s theory to reveal the ‘Innerer Klang’ of the existing Siemens building. Superfluous ornament was stripped back to reveal the raw concrete frame of the existing building, a quasi-ruin of the area’s industrial past around which the offshoots of renewal could be cultivated.
Holloway Li’s design explores the tension between the fixed concrete elements and formless boundaries of the various common area zones, encouraging a flexibility of use characteristic to Locke. In minimising ‘fixed’ elements, the design allows for future adaptation, limiting the need for wasteful renovation. The original 1960s terrazzo staircase was lovingly restored to its former glory, with new stainless steel fixings and handrails bringing it up to modern code.
Amongst the immovable concrete columns, the practice introduced dense, free-flowing planting as part of the interior scheme. A limited palette of natural materials is used for new finishes and furniture: timber, terrazzo and rafia balance the concrete mass, bringing harmony and softness to the space, which is further accentuated by a sumptuous, textured carpet which wraps the columns to dado level. The colour scheme, anchored by earthy tones and
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