Featured Project
Tradition and modernity

The Modernist Hotel is located in the center of Trieste, in one of the most elegant streets of the city. The name of the hotel is programmatic in several respects, because "modernist" here not only means modern, but also stands for its modernization. For this purpose, the historic building was completely renovated, whereby it was particularly important to architect Ana Jokic to preserve its historic identity. Therefore, the 130-year-old ceiling frescoes, stone columns or mosaics that came to light during the renovation were integrated into the overall architectural concept. At the same time, the interior and lighting were to meet modern standards, which is why various luminaires from Artemide were used for the latter.

In terms of materiality, the architect opted for brushed wood with visible grain, high-quality velvet in striking colors, unpainted iron, old leather and various textured wallpapers. This gives the hotel a natural and modern aura, yet the 56 rooms are all different. That's why they feature, among other things, "Tolomeo" lamps by Artemide, whose high recognition value helps to integrate the rooms into the overall design concept. In addition, there are the "nh" pendant lights designed by Neri&Hu, which, as a modern reinterpretation of Far Eastern culture, also focus on the connection between old and new. Further design accents are set by the two design classics "Miconos" as a mouth-blown glass sphere and "Discovery", both from the pen of Artemide founder Ernesto Gismondi. "Discovery" was used in the rooms as a wall lamp and captivates with its minimalist form, whose seemingly empty frame becomes a completely homogeneously illuminated surface as if by magic when switched on.

The hall of The Modernist Hotel with its relief-decorated ceilings presented the lighting designers with special challenges, as the lighting had to not disturb the existing architecture, but at the same time show it off to its best advantage. The choice therefore fell on the copper-colored "A.24 System" from Artemide, which blends in subtly with its magnetic Vector spotlights. The indirect lighting of the light track skilfully sets the scene for the ceiling, while the direct lighting of the spotlights creates small oases of light in the room. Since the spotlights are each magnetic, can be aligned and moved along a rail, they also offer sufficient flexibility for illuminating different room geometries. The "A.24 System" is also used for the basic lighting of the lobby in the form of diffuse light distribution. In addition, the sculptural "Gople" pendant luminaires from BIG create a cozy and inviting atmosphere there. Here, Venetian glassblowing art meets innovative LED technology: the flowing transparency and color gradient characteristic of "Gople" is created when the glass is blown, making each luminaire unique. With its warm colors, it subtly puts guests in the mood for the concept of The Modernist Hotel and once again thematizes the connection between old and new.