The 25hours Hotel in Vienna attracts with whimsical details from circus and vaudeville

Jeach hotel a different world: the 25hours hotel chain stands for individual concepts that give each of the properties a unique design. For the guest house in Vienna, the designers from Dreimeta developed the extravagant idea of a circus ring and transformed it into an inspiring sphere of improvisation and illusion. And it gets even more colorful: Not only the hotel, but also the 217 rooms and suites became truly unique.

A former student dormitory, previously renovated and expanded by BWM Architekten from Vienna, served as a stage and field of experimentation for the Augsburg interior designers from Dreimeta. The goal was to give the rooms and all other furnishings an independent profile and an emotional mood, according to the designers. The central theme of the circus, according to the hotel operator, seemed particularly suitable for this purpose, as it not only reminds people of their own childhood. It also represented a tradition of carnival, sensations and entertainment that had already developed in the Austrian capital in the 20th century.

Manege Frei!
What are the first associations when the keyword circus comes up? Imaginative costumes, traveling equipment, gymnastics apparatus, instruments, heavy fabrics and a whole array of bright colors! Distributed among the rooms and common areas, they now also characterize the Viennese hotel - the result of an intensive search and a sure sense for the special, for which the Dreimeta team set out especially. At flea markets, the designers gathered the decorative props, which - whether gymnastics cones, lion heads or desk lamps - all tell their own story and give the interior a nostalgic overall look.

Illustrious walls
But how do you bring all the whimsical personalities that make up the show in the ring into the interior of a hotel? Known for his colorful paintings and illustrations, Berlin artist Olaf Hajek seemed the right person to fill the rooms with life. In five different scenes with figurative depictions - some humorous, some erotic, some surreal - he has acrobats, clowns, wild animals, bearded women and magicians from the circus, vaudeville and curiosity cabinet pose, creating a creative backdrop.

Details of the walls The art of improvisation
However, the focus of the Vienna 25hours would not be the design theme. Rather, it was about the atmosphere, according to 25hours managing director Christoph Hoffmann. The overriding goal was therefore a design style that, although unfinished - like the temporary circus tent - still has a cozy feel. For example, the decision was made in favor of a barely treated screed floor, which was merely furnished with thick carpets. A rocker is turned into a side table and an unpretentious chain of lights replaces the chandelier. It's all a bit of understatement, but: the result is an eclectic, inspiring mix of eras and styles that stands in stark contrast to the often sterile hotel ambience.

Successful appearance
More restrained had to be the electrical installation - between all the big and small highlights of the interior. In order not to compete with the expressive wall design and furnishings, the designers opted for the discreet E2 switch series from Gira, which is characterized by a reduced design language, pleasant surfaces and discreet color and material properties. Seemingly seamlessly integrated, the switches do not distract from the detailed wall pictures and focus full attention on the atmospheric overall effect of the rooms. This allows vacationers and business travelers alike to immerse themselves in the sparkling circus world without being disturbed: A design that inspires discovery, fantasy and further spinning.