World Interior of the Year Showcases Reclaimed Timber

Segments  of reclaimed timber line the walls of the spectacular lobby of Hotel Hotel, located in Canberra Australia. The ground floor spaces of the project, designed by Australian office March Studio, was just named World Interior of the Year at the INSIDE World Festival of Interiors in Singapore.

This one of a kind lobby features over 5,000 recycled timber segments that are fixed to the walls and ceilings. Linear in form, the segments are supporting by steel rods running from the floor to the ceiling. The strongly direction form and orientation of the timbers create a strongly directional effect that leads guests from the lobby into the main part of the hotel.

The repurposing of the timber in the lobby grabbed the judges’ attention for what they described as a “poetic use of leftover materials [to create a] powerful but not overwhelming result.” They continued onto comment that: “The choice of raw elements gives a warmth and familiarity mixed with the excitement of the unexpected. They combine to make a powerful but not overwhelming series of spaces.”

Other material elements of the design include a grand staircase made of recycled timber, circular skylights, a screen punctures by marbles, concrete beams and steel panelling.

The INSIDE World Festival of Interiors coincides with the World Festival of Architecture and together they form the largest celebration of contemporary architecture and design in the world. 2015 marks the last year that the festival will be staged in Singapore and next year it will return to Europe to take place in Berlin, Germany.