MAISON HELER, METZ,
PROJECT : PHILIPPE STARCK
Located in the Amphitheatre district of Metz, right
behind Shigeru Ban's Pompidou Centre, Maison Heler is a rather unusual new
hotel, the brainchild of Philippe Starck, who based his project on the
adventures of Manfred Heler, a purely fictional character with a contemplative,
meticulous nature, the main character in a novel written by Starck himself
entitled “The Meticulous Life of Manfred Heler”, published by Allary Éditions.
“A hotel”, so the author notes, “designed to be an inhabitable work of art, a
literary principle crystallised in solid matter”.
A
landmark in a rapidly evolving district, this monolithic 9-storey building is
dominated by a house with a breathtaking view, whose architecture is
reminiscent of Metz’s 19th-century stately homes. The hotel, part of
the Curio Collection by the Hilton chain, boasts 104 rooms and suites, two
restaurants, two bars and event spaces, providing a unique and quite startling
hospitality experience epitomising the surreal story of its owner.
The
rooms and suites from the second to the eighth floor are embellished with an
elegant sense of luxury featuring large marble panels and sliding mirrors. “An
almost Spartan spirit”, as Philippe
Starck puts it, “with nothing superficial about it, with each material imposing
its own colour: the white of all the cotton, the grey of the ceiling and
concrete walls”. ”.
Manfred Heler Hotel has lounges and private dining rooms on the upper floor.
PFive
in total corresponding to 300 square metres of modular space, also used for
hosting conferences, seminars and private events. Situated on the rooftop with
a view of the city, La Maison de Manfred is an invitation to dine in a cosy
family dining room with wood and natural leather furniture and soft, warm
lighting. The central columns are upholstered in green-textured embossed leather;
the walls are decorated with terracotta tiles.
The multifaceted artist Ara Starck has created
nineteen stained glass windows for this unique space, including a monumental
window radiating colourful, cathedral-like light throughout the restaurant's
main dining room and across the city of Metz. The terrace and gardens
overlooking these spaces offer panoramic views of historic Fort de Queuleu, the
Pompidou Centre, Saint-Étienne Cathedral and everyday life in the streets and
homes of Metz.
Project: Philippe Starck, Client: Curio
Collection by Hilton, Photos: Julius Hirtzberger. Maison Heler, 31 Rue Jacques Chirac, 57000
Metz, France. @maisonhelermetz
