Hospitality between design and craftsmanship

By Editorial Staff - 15 April 2024
Vimar, Marca Corona, Concreta, Glamora have participated in the project

Every design is a narrative, the story of a place, its artistic-architectural heritage, and its history. In the case of the Be Mate-managed hospitality facilities that THDP designed in Venice and Rome, quality and identity are closely connected to the territory. Both were realized to make guests feel the soul of the city through design choices that reflect the essence of the place. This approach and philosophy led the studio to advance a bold definition of its work: “storytellers” of tradition through architecture and interior design.

Be Mate Luxury Apartments, Venezia | © Giorgio Baroni, courtesy THDP Nel cuore di Venezia, a metà strada tra piazza San Marco e il ponte di Rialto, gli architetti hanno progettato una struttura di ospitalità di lusso, un luogo privilegiato da dove far rivivere, anche attraverso l’architettura, la storia e la tradizione della città e del suo artigianato.

Ponte di Rialto, as suggested by its name, is a short-term rental facility located between Piazza San Marco and the Rialto Bridge, deeply connected to the history of the area. At one time, daily life in this quadrant of the city was enlivened by workshops specializing in tin and pewter manufacturing – a history referenced by many design objects present inside the facility. The conservative renovation project of the exteriors and interiors involved Venetian artisans capable of conveying the value of Made in Italy and giving life to a style between classic and contemporary, thanks in part to custom design. Glass and its iridescent colors play an important role and pay homage to the art and craftsmanship of the Murano island.

Be Mate Luxury Apartments, Venezia | © Giorgio Baroni, courtesy THDP Le cucine si caratterizzano per un design minimalista, con arredi ed elettrodomestici dalle forme essenziali e lineari. Dettagli vintage e oggetti di produzione artigianale ne completano l’interior.

Each of the 12 apartments inside has its own characteristic and distinctiveness, as much in name as in interior design. Starting from the name, every suite recalls an ancient craft and is personalized, from the differently decorated walls to the headboard of the bed and the choice of precise shades of colors. The color palette chosen for the entire project represents the passing of time: in fact, the palette was created reproducing the variation of hues in contact with the tides, which have oxidized and stained the city’s surfaces over the years. This color progression thus contemporaneously evokes natural elements and the nuances of marble. The structure’s apartments are characterized by tones ranging from mustard to gold, from green to aqua to magenta, achieving rooms with refined style and a delicate atmosphere. The opulence in both the private and common spaces is accentuated by natural light, used to enhance the design of the interiors. For example, the stairwell with a hanging chandelier benefits from the natural light that filters through the meticulously restored stained-glass skylight.

Be Mate Luxury Apartments, Roma | © Paolo Fusco, courtesy THDP All’interno delle suite sono presenti diverse opere d’arte realizzate soprattutto da artisti locali, così da mantenere un forte legame con il territorio e portare avanti la tradizione artistica della città.

The approach for the structure in the heart of Venice, inseparably linked to the territory, is also perceivable in the 27 apartments – also dedicated to short-term rentals – distributed across different areas of the city of Rome. Each set of apartments has a different concept, connected to the history and monuments that the rooms overlook. For example, Trastevere, with its dynamism, hosts the young soul of the structure, the Colosseo the ancient, and Piazza Navona the noble. Each of the three structures conveys the character of the place through various details: the one in Trastevere features a bright palette, which, in the Colosseum-adjacent one, is instead centered on black and white contrast inspired by the original decorations of the ancient monuments. Finally, the colors in the Piazza Navona facility are bolder and linked to fine materials, without sacrificing an overall effect – shared by the other two structures – of preservation of the past interwoven with a contemporary design.

The direct connection between the apartments near the Colosseum and the ruins of Rome is emblematic of this journey through time: the foundations of this building rest upon the ancient prisons connected to the Colosseum, which can be visited by descending underground into the basement.

Be Mate Luxury Apartments, Venice | © Giorgio Baroni, courtesy of THDP

Made for History and Contemporaneity | © Giorgio Baroni, courtesy of THDP | The furnishings of the Venetian structure are mostly custom designed: for solutions capable of echoing the craftsmanship of the artisans, the history of the place, and the tradition of the city of Venice, THDP were able to rely on Concreta. Specializing in the design, production, and supply of furniture for luxury facilities, particularly in the hospitality sector, the company knew how to create design elements in line with the philosophy of THDP and in cohesion with the soul and style of the p

Be Mate Luxury Apartments, Venice | © Giorgio Baroni, courtesy of THDP | Many of the design objects were made using the techniques and style of the artisans that once populated Venetian streets: the pewter effect of some elements comes from this tradition.

Be Mate Luxury Apartments, Venice | © Giorgio Baroni, courtesy of THDP | In the heart of Venice, halfway between Piazza San Marco and the Rialto Bridge, the designers envisioned a luxury hospitality facility. It is the ideal place to relive the history and tradition of the city and its craftsmanship, through the architecture as well.

Be Mate Luxury Apartments, Venice | © Giorgio Baroni, courtesy of THDP | While giving the structure a contemporary feel, the building’s renovation project was conservative in nature and respectful of its historical identity: for example, the mullioned windows and arches are still well preserved. Archival work and retrieval of old photographs were fundamental to the restoration.

Be Mate Luxury Apartments, Venice | © Giorgio Baroni, courtesy of THDP | The kitchens are characterized by their minimalist design, featuring furnishings and appliances with essential, linear shapes. Vintage details and artisan products complete the interior.

Be Mate Luxury Apartments, Venice | © Giorgio Baroni, courtesy of THDP | Light, both natural and artificial, was given extreme importance in the restoration of the building. The skylight at the top of the staircase, with its colored glass, and the chandelier create an almost hypnotic interplay of colors and lights on the surfaces below.

Much More than Ceramic Surfaces | © Paolo Fusco, courtesy of THDP | For the three structures realized by THDP in Rome, Marca Corona supplied porcelain and white body tiles from their collections. The Victoria white-body collection captures the vitality of Trastevere, particularly with the 3D Art decoration in the bathroom. The Deluxe marble-effect porcelain collection enhances the elegance of the apartments on Piazza Navona, while the Elisir Royal wood-effect collection gives exclusivity to the floors, at times tessellated, of the Colosseo structure. | www.marca

Be Mate Luxury Apartments, Rome | © Paolo Fusco, courtesy of THDP | The neutral colors and the contrast between black and white characterize the apartments located near the Colosseum: the atmosphere of the rooms is a perfect balance between antiquity and contemporaneity.

Be Mate Luxury Apartments, Rome | © Paolo Fusco, courtesy of THDP

Be Mate Luxury Apartments, Rome | © Paolo Fusco, courtesy of THDP | Inside the suites, there are different works of art made by mainly local artists, thus maintaining a strong connection with the territory and carrying on the artistic tradition of the city.

Be Mate Luxury Apartments, Rome | © Paolo Fusco, courtesy of THDP | Another structure is close to Piazza Navona and features colors that recall the refinement of nobility, like the dark burgundy of the furnishings and accessories.

Be Mate Luxury Apartments, Rome | © Paolo Fusco, courtesy of THDP | The timeless design of the bathroom reflects the soul of the structure, which aims to be an example of nobility and refinement.

Be Mate Luxury Apartments, Rome | © Paolo Fusco, courtesy of THDP | The Nuvola wall covering, made by Glamora, is one of the products in the Creative Collection Chapter X. The line is enriched each year with a new chapter that takes inspiration from art, design, architecture, fashion, and photography to create motifs capable of stirring emotions. The collection is available in three finishings: GlamDecor, a canvas-effect vinyl wallpaper; GlamTrace, a TNT reminiscent of handmade paper; and Acoustic Shield, which optimizes the acoustic comfort of the environments.

Location: Venice, Italy
Completion: 2023
Gross Floor Area: 2,000 m²
Architect and Interior Designer: THDP
Main Contractor: Pasqualucci Costruzioni
Interior Contractor: Concreta

Photography: Giorgio Baroni, courtesy of THDP

Location: Rome, Italy
Completion: 2023
Total Area: 3,000 m²
Architect and Interior Designer: THDP
Interior Contractor: Devoto Design

Photography: Paolo Fusco, courtesy of THDP

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