Text by Elviro Di Meo
In designing the Hotel de Charme in Laveno, on Lake Maggiore, it is above all research into the identity of the place that is the main theme of the design philosophy. The identity is expressed through the signs characterising the context, the predominant colour palette, the surfaces treated with materials that bring the disused industrial field to mind. Style and comfort, but not only: the important receptive structure is a perfect example of urban reconversion. Indeed, the hotel stands in the area once devoted to the ceramic industry dating back to the second half of the nineteenth century and specialised from the very beginning in the production of tiles, tableware and bathroom furnishing items. Purchased in 1965 by Richard Ginori, the factory gradually slowed down its activity, closing down the plant towards the end of the last century. The new project is certainly one of the symbols of excellence of the regeneration process and of the changed needs in terms of intended use. The hotel is part of a far wider programme, in which five architecture firms (One Works, Archea Associati, Cino Zucchi, Peia Associati and Langenkamp.dk architects), have designed, after an international competition, the waterfront of Laveno Mombello.
The intention was clear: to enhance the natural gulf on the east shore of the lake by means of a functional mix made up of shops, residential units and new very high-quality reception facilities. These are architectures with no impact at all on the environment, created according to modern energy-saving criteria and using materials with carefully selected characteristics. The image of the façade of the old factory has been recovered, reduced to its basic form, where the paradigmatic signs of the factory appear, thanks to the red shades of the front. Identical to the pre-existing colours, they replace the typical visible bricks, now dispersed and deteriorated. “The references to the local production tradition” as the team of Bea Interiors, the Alto Adige firm that developed the concept of the hotel, explained, “were inspired by old photographs and by an exhibition of original ceramics”. Indeed, one whole wall is decorated with ancient plates and others from the Laveno collection, designed by Paola Navone for Richard Ginori.
All the porcelain tableware is of the same brand, while the bathroom fixtures are signed by Pozzi Ginori. The idea for the design originated from the desire to create an intimate and private environment in which guests can feel at home. “A feeling that is the result of the composition and of the interrelation between public and private areas”. The heterogeneous character of the furniture is merely apparent, and is based on the will to experiment a décor that has grown and changed in time, giving patrons the possibility to find their own well-being corners. The thirty rooms the facility has – five of the family type, each with a private garden and a Jacuzzi bathtub – all look towards the lake. This is thanks to the large full-height windows and the deep arcades for admiring the beauty of the site.
The interiors have been designed so as to emphasise the link with the surrounding context. In the rooms, thought up as well-lit open spaces, where the philosophy of the project is strengthened, the walls and dividing panels are reduced to a minimum, eliminating any visual obstacles preventing a view of the outside. The bathroom area of each room is not dissimilar from the man environment, featuring clear, almost diaphanous shades of colour. A light white curtain able to be opened is the only thing between the two parts of the same composition, ensuring full spatial continuity. Precisely in order to highlight the contact with nature, the design firm chose the Acqua R 5000 shower enclosure made by Duka, with sliding doors. The extremely narrow aluminium sections are shaped like an elegant frame around the landscape, the undisputed leading player of the times devoted to personal well-being. In addition to being fully customisable, both management and maintenance of R 5000 Acqua shower enclosures, featuring soughtafter technical and aesthetic qualities, are easy. The new mechanism for unhooking the doors is made so that slight pressure from outside on the lower hook is sufficient for pushing the door inwards, thus making cleaning of the glass sheets even easier, which is an important requisite for the hotel sector, in which the activities for tidying up the room must be rapid and easy. Lastly, the hinges are glued to the glass by means of an innovative UV-ray system patented by Duka so as to avoid the presence of holes, thus facilitating care of the cabin, which remains completely smooth. The severe atmosphere of the shower fits in with the purposely simple not to say meagre bathroom furniture.
The wooden top, with the shelf below it for linen, acts as a base for supporting the Closer washbasin by Pozzi Ginori, while the mirror, made to measure as are most of the furniture items, protrudes from the wall without any frames or useless frills. The main attraction of the Hotel de Charme is the splendid infinity-edge swimming-pool on the roof, facing towards the lake, ideal for sun-bathing and enjoying necessary relaxing. The Finnish sauna is also equally relaxing; its refined design and dark colour making it an invitation for both body and mind. The common areas of the hotel complex, including the restaurant, the lounge bar and the spa are at the service of the residential area and of the facilities to be built in the area of the former factory.
