The socially significant goal of our project is to draw attention to the enormous potential of the cultural heritage and the need for its preservation as well as its efficient use as one of the most important resources of the national and world economy.
Cultural heritage, along with natural resources, are the capital of irreplaceable value. The loss of cultural property is irreversible. It can not be compensated by the development of modern culture or the creation of new significant works.
The history of the estate has four centuries. The manor was rebuilt several times, its appearance and style were constantly transformed in accordance with the taste of its owners and the spirit of the times, sometimes quite radically.
Embodying their ideas the owners, who were inspired by travelling around the world, radically changed not only its interior, but also its exterior. So, for example, two wings in a pseudo-Russian style were attached to the earlier classical facade. However, after the Revolution of 1917 reincarnations of the manor ceased. Unsuccessful attempts at restoration, fires, lawsuits concerning the property did not contribute to its preservation. The manor had been dilapidated and in the end appeared to be abandoned.
The long history, the amazing atmosphere and the incredible transformations of the estate prompted us the name “Metamorphosis” and inspired us to create a project of reincarnation of the manor ensemble, adapting it to a new function i.e. creating the interior of a boutique hotel, where unique and original furniture and works of art open a new page of the history of the estate with character.
Not only the exterior of the estate is a mixture of eras and styles. Once inside the manor’s house, the rooms are completely different in character and atmosphere.
LOBBY
In the lower vaults of the ground floor we placed the reception and the lobby bar. The architecture of the space in the pseudo-Russian style, interacts with the facade of the building, but differs from the rest of the premises of the estate. We did not want to visually overload the space under the arched vaults based on heavy columns. So the reception desk and the bar counter are covered with a mirror surface which reflect everything around, “dissolving” it in space. Light, resembling the outdoors, furniture of the lobby bar seems weightless in contrast to the monumental architecture of the space.
MAIN STAIRCASE
We rise along the main staircase to the first floor. The staircase is decorated with an art object, a four-meter chandelier, made of Swarovski crystals on a metal frame. They are illuminated by LEDs. The design of the staircase is worked out by the French duo, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec.
RESTAURANT
The restaurant is located in the east wing attached to the manor later. We were inspired to create the interior of the restaurant by the fact that there is a greenhouse in the estate ensemble. It was not possible to make a glass roof, as there is an attic above the restaurant. We made a glass ceiling using a glass lighting system CoeLux behind it which imitates natural light. Gebrüder Thonet Vienna and Kartell furniture supports the concept of a greenhouse in its texture and colours.
CENTRAL SITTING ROOMS
In the central part of the first floor there there has been preserved a suite of ceremonial rooms abundantly decorated with stucco and fireplaces having marble facades. Despite the dilapidation of the estate, many elements of the historical decoration were preserved, although they were significantly affected by time and human relations.
The interior of the public areas that we placed on the first floor is a conservation of the preserved elements of the rooms in combination with pieces of modern furniture (XX and XXI centuries). So the complex bends of the order of the columns and the pattern of stucco contrast with simple geometric shapes and lines of modern furniture. In order not to close the review of the fireplaces facades and not to clutter up the space, we suggested making some of the chairs transparent.
The arrangement of the columns forming a circle in the second living room prompted us the form of the sofa. The legendary sofa Clowerleaf by Verner Panton perfectly suited in function as well. Strangers rarely sit down to each other on an ordinary sofa. This sofa can accommodate a large number of people, everyone been located in a private area. In addition, the direction of the seats allows guests both to communicate freely in the central zone, and retire with a book by the window or fireplace. A mood in the sitting room is created by art objects, which reduce the degree of seriousness and ceremoniality of historical architecture.
SUITE
And finally, the hotel suite of our boutique hotel. It consists of two rooms, a living room and a bedroom; dressing room and bathroom. An important topic today is customization. In the interiors of the rooms we wanted to get away from the feeling of the hotel. As if you stopped to stay with the owner of the estate, among the pieces of furniture and art that he lovingly furnished his living space for years.
We wanted to create a space where there is no border between functional and artistic. So, the central element of the bedroom is a bed of alabaster – an art object by Rick Owens. We are not in favour of placing a television in the bedroom, and, as you can see, there is none. However, this is not a private interior, but a hotel room, so we have provided an opportunity for guests to spend an evening in the suite watching a black and white movie. A movie projector can be brought to the room on order.
You have already seen a bath in the bedroom. In addition to it, the room has a bathroom with a shower. Autentically decorated walls of the bathroom space contrast with the severity of the lines and the minimalism of the Abaco sanitary system design by Cea.
LAYOUT
The ground floor of the hotel is not residential. In the central part you can see the entrance group, the reception area, the lobby bar and the administration area of the hotel. The east wing contains the business center, the cinema hall, the bar and an antiques salon. And the west wing contains the beauty bar with a separate entrance.
On the first floor of the hotel there are some public areas: the restaurant, the conference room and the sitting rooms; as well as suits. The suit for the disabled is also provided on the first floor. For more convenient movement in the public areas of the hotel, we have provided two entrances in this suit.
On the second floor of the hotel there are some suits, one of which has two bedrooms; as well as utility rooms.
LOBBY
Armchairs: Muller Van Severen, Matter.
MAIN STAIRCASE
Сeiling Lamp: Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec
RESTAURANT
Sofas: Targa by Gamfratesi, Gebrüder Thonet Vienna. Armchairs: Bodystuhl by Nigel Coates, Gebrüder Thonet Vienna, Armchairs: Masters by Philippe Starck and Eugeni Quitllet, Kartell.
CENTRAL SITTING ROOMS
Rectangular Sitting Room:
Armchairs: Mutation by Maarten de Deulaer, Armchairs: Glass chair by Shiro Kuramata, Bench: Zig zag bench by Christopher Stuart, Art installation: Mobiles by Atelier Xavier Veilhan
Round Sitting Room:
Sofa: Cloverleaf by Verner Panton, Floor Lamp: S.M.O.K.E by Mathieu Lehanneur.
SUITE
Sitting Room:
Table: Mathieu Lehanneur. Saybed: Maria Pergay. Armchair: Rick Owens. Armchair: Boloto by Cini Boeri, The Future Perfect. Art installation: Massimo Uberti.
Bedroom:
Bed: Alabaster B. Bed by Rick Owens. Chair: Stokke Ekstrem chair by Terje Ekstrøm. Art: Anish Kapoor. Bathtub: Radfort, Victoria+Albert.
Bathroom:
Moular Bathroom System: Abaco, CEA
AUTHORS
Elena Medvednikova and Anastasia Terekhova
