Hotel in Bucharest

UAUIM - Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urban Planning

Idea projektu

Project Concept

The guiding idea behind my project was to integrate a hotel into a public urban space in a way that not only respects and enhances the existing site, but also establishes a meaningful visual and functional dialogue with the town hall located behind it.
Rather than designing the hotel as a standalone object, I envisioned it as a layered composition: a protective shell of hotel rooms hovering above two transparent, permeable levels dedicated to public use. These lower floors accommodate conference facilities and business spaces intended to serve the local community — acting as an interface between the private hospitality functions above and the public life of the city below.
Through this approach, the project seeks to mediate between civic architecture and contemporary urban needs, creating a harmonious relationship between built form, context, and community.

Popis projektu

Spatial Composition and Functional Organization

The interior spatial arrangement of the building was conceived to offer both clarity in circulation and richness in experience, guiding the visitor through a sequence of carefully articulated public and private zones.
Upon entering the building, guests are received in a generous reception area that seamlessly flows into a spacious and welcoming lobby. This space serves as both a transition and a social hub, offering a comfortable waiting area for visitors. To the left, the ground floor opens into a public restaurant designed to serve not only hotel guests, but also the broader community. For this reason, a separate, dedicated entrance was provided for the restaurant, allowing independent access without passing through the hotel lobby. Additionally, a secondary entrance from the rear ensures a direct connection to the adjacent town hall, reinforcing the building’s civic character.
Ascending to the first floor, users encounter the wellness zone — a refined and tranquil environment hosting a spa, gym, and locker facilities. This level is dedicated to relaxation and physical wellbeing, creating a peaceful interlude between the active public ground floor and the more private functions above.
The upper levels are organized with hotel rooms distributed along the building’s perimeter, forming a continuous spatial shell. This configuration allows for optimal natural light and views in the rooms, while enclosing a functional central core. Within this core lie conference rooms, a multipurpose auditorium, and flexible rental spaces — all of which are accessed through a distinct circulation system to ensure discretion and efficiency for users attending professional or business events.
Crowning the building is a panoramic rooftop terrace, conceived as a vibrant social space. It features a bar, lounge zones, and areas for informal gatherings, offering guests and visitors an exceptional perspective over the river and the city beyond. This final level not only enhances the hospitality experience, but also symbolically opens the building toward the surrounding landscape — a gesture of connection between architecture and context.

Technické informace

Structural System

The building employs a structural system based on reinforced concrete columns and beams. In the upper part of the structure, the spaces are filled with lightweight aerated concrete blocks (AAC), ensuring a balance between structural efficiency, thermal insulation, and cost-effectiveness.
In contrast, the lower levels maintain the same column-and-beam framework but are enclosed with transparent curtain walls. This design choice allows for maximum natural light, visual permeability, and a stronger connection between the interior public functions and the surrounding urban context.
The structural logic not only supports the architectural concept of layering public and private functions but also reinforces the idea of lightness and openness at the base, gradually transitioning into a more solid and private volume above.

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