Hotel and Swimclub Zenden, Maastricht, The Netherlands

The buildings originally only contained a pool for swimming lessons in the late sixties. Over the years hotel rooms and a yoga studio were implemented into the program. Upon the facilities reaching spatial limits, the owners turned to Wiel Arets Architects for renovation and reorganisation in 2003.

The scattered program was re-crystallised into an iconographical and integrated whole. The resulting interior sculpture is completely clad in white. New program elements were placed if and where necessary.

Upon entering the hotel, a relaxing lounge welcomes guests – inviting them to have a drink, admire the hotel’s pool or simply enjoy the purple Japanese maple on the patio, which contrasts the hotel’s white interior. From the lounge, guests can descend to the basement, which retains its original medieval vault, and find there the sapphire blue waters of the pool. Opposite, ascending the stairs, nine hotel rooms await their guests. They all vary in layout and are dominated by the light flowing in through the big windows and reflected off the pure white surfaces.

Inside the new guest rooms, services such as showers, toilets and cupboards have been condensed to blocks; enabling more living space. Corian inlays and night-stands have been integrated into the walls, washing tables placed on floating shelves, TVs hidden behind reflecting glass and bathroom doors serve as mirrors. Dark-purple beds and armchairs contrast the white, wall-mounted furnishings, white ceramic sinks, frameless mirrors and round lamps from LAUFEN’s ILBAGNOALESSI dOt bathroom series designed by the architect. Within this minimalist design ethic guests are free to make their personal marks as if they were in their own homes.