On the edge of the Hakaniemi waterfront in Helsinki, Finland will be the Hilbert's Hotel designed by Snøhetta. The international firm submitted the design proposal as part of the Hotel Hakaniemi Competition coordinated by AB invest A/S, the City of Helsinki, and the Finnish Association of Architect in December. The proposal was announced as the winning entry during a press conference in Helsinki yesterday.
Harmoniously blending into the urban landscape of the city, the façades of Hilbert's Hotel will be made of white glass with a repeating modular pattern meant to reflect the broken sea ice in the Helsinki Harbor. “Simultaneously, we have tried to promote the qualities, such as the connection to the water, of this specific site as a gift to the visitors and inhabitants of Helsinki,” Snøhetta founding partner Kjetil T. Thornsen said in a press release. Additionally, the window glass will be switchable–the glass will be change from white to clear once the guest room key card is used, giving the hotel patrons control of the appearance of the outer façades of the hotel.
Perched in the heart of the harbor, the new Hilbert's Hotel will also serve as a public hub in addition to contemporary accommodation. Six stories of hotel rooms will be perched above 17,000 square-feet of public space. The hotel will offer a restaurant and bar on the top floor in addition to the ground floor plaza.
