Hybrid hospitality for global nomads

Connection, sharing, opening are some of the concepts developed by The Student Hotel, a chain distinguished by a revisited formula of student housing that is also open to families, businesspeople and young start-uppers. The founding CEO of TSH, Charlie MacGregor, wanted to improve the hospitality service reserved for students, a sector in which his family worked. He created his first company in 2005 when he was 25, but his winning idea was to involve professionals and families as guests too, in order to be able to develop a community. Then he drafted a concept that made connections between between different generations. To cross his threshold, you do not necessarily have to be a student. A new idea of hospitality is found in a hybrid building that is student housing, hotel, events venue, and co-working space where creative spirits from around the world and from heterogeneous backgrounds meet one another. 

From 2006 to now, The Student Hotel has become a widespread phenomenon. In Europe, it manages 4,400 rooms in 11 cities: Amsterdam (two), Eindhoven, Maastricht, Groningen, Rotterdam, The Hague, Paris, Dresden, Berlin, Florence and Barcelona (two). The one in Berlin opened in October 2019 in the downtown area of Mitte not far from Alexanderplatz. Spectacular architecture welcomes guests. "The hotel establishes a new concept of shared living in Berlin," says Jürgen Engel, the founding architect and owner of KSP Jürgen Engel Architekten, the bureau that developed the design for this hotel. "In addition to the small rooms for the hotel and for long-term residents, there are common facilities such as study and fitness areas as well as a large, comfortable lobby with lounge and bar." A sense of community is expressed in the shared rooms: library, laundry room, conference room, gymnasium, open-air cinema, a coffee shop managed in partnership with Concierge Coffee Berlin, a co-working area, and a restaurant belonging to the chain The Commons. The result is a dynamic place that puts into relationship the collective dimension and the individual one, where work, play and comfort are melded toward creating a stimulating atmosphere for everybody. 

The interior design follows the guidelines laid out by the building's plan, and is inspired by the artistic scene in Berlin with accents of retro furniture and winks toward Memphis style. It is a combination of glamour and grunge conceived by The Student Hotel's in-house Innovation Design Studio in collaboration with Studio Aisslinger from Berlin and Masquespacio, a Valencia-based firm renowned for its talent. The 475 rooms, appointed in lively colours and sophisticated textures, are the fruit of complex research and customisation to give a lived-in impression. These elements offer a harmonious contrast with the elegant and disciplined aspect of the white cement facade, which has elevated mechanical strength and resists the effects of pollution, besides maintaining its luminous colour over time. The bright white emphasises the fluid pattern of the structure, whose obliquely cut splayed windows change direction on each floor, conferring special three-dimensionality.

The hotel rooms, the student dorms (varying in size from 16 to 23 square metres) and the offices occupy a surface area of 24,900 square metres. For each ten student rooms, one common kitchen is provided. Long-term guests can access larger rooms with a kitchenette. From the outside, in order to see the position of the three types of hospitality (hotel, apartments and offices), the architects studied a differentiated configuration of the facade according to the size of apertures and their orientation. The central courtyard works to connect the sectors of different usage. It is a big space with a bold-coloured graphic theme that continues inside, running over walls and floors. The court is equipped with anchor bolts to allow for the mounting of tensile structures for parties and events. 

"Most courtyards are used for seating, but we wanted to create a courtyard that was multi-purpose without being boring. We wanted to design an environment that was both inviting and inspiring, activated by a gym, cafe, cinema and events,” says Naomi Thellier de Poncheville, the creative director of The Student Hotel. In 2020, more hotels will be opened in Vienna, Bologna, Delft, San Sebastián, Barcelona, Paris, Toulouse, Carcavelos (near Lisbon), Porto and Rome. In 2021, two TSH's will open in Florence. Within 5 years' time, the company expects to have 65 buildings scattered all around Europe. The chain's international success makes The Student Hotel's motto seem to ring true: Together, we can be heroes.

This article was originally published in the Contract supplement, attached to Domus 1040, November 2019