Loisium Hotel, near Colmar, France

Holl to build Loisium hotel in Alsace, France

Coming off the success of his recently completed Loisium hotel in Austria, Steven Holl has been commissioned by the French government to build a branch of the Loisium in the beautiful, mountainous region of Alsace, France. As at the Austrian location, the project will include a hotel, spa and wine center. But here the architectural response is quite different yet equally stunning.

Sited at the edge of a forest overlooking vineyards to the east and south with views of Switzerland and Germany in the distance, Holl has created an intimate village-like setting for Loisium that belies its massiveness by housing the program in a tree-like form with many branches.

The building will be clad in blacked wood, echoing the forest beyond. It will house a 100-room hotel, spa, and restaurant. From this tree will “sprout” a red, weathered steel pavilion, like a flower from a branch. Inspired by the red cliff of the former stone quarry on the site, the pavilion will house a wine center and event spaces.

The project is set for completion in 2011.

Sharon McHugh
US Correspondent
source: www.worldarchitecturenews.com
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