Architect：Spagnulo & Partners

Location：Sorrento, Italy; | ;View Map

Category：Hotels

The five stars luxury hotel Ara Maris is located in via Correale 15, in Sorrento, on the evocative setting of the Amalfi Coast. The Milan-based architectural studio Spagnulo&Partners, in full consideration and compliance of the original architectural context and the surrounding landscape, carried out the design of the façade, interiors and garden: an all-round 360° transformation, corroborating a creative, planning and design management attentive to detail.

The design and planning supervision is based on a number of essential values:

- The location and the presence of a large internal garden;

- The direct exposure onto the Gulf of Sorrento for most of the rooms, without any visual obstructions in-between the hotel structure and the coast;

- A roof-top garden with a unique scenic view;

- The theme of light and colour

Architectural project and facade

No structural work was carried out on the façade, the studio preferred to focus on renovating the original part of the building, dating back to the 1950s. While renovating the façade, however, the opportunity was taken to make stylistic and design choices geared towards fostering sustainability. In fact, solar panels have been placed along the entire rear façade which reduce the impact of energy consumption and showcase the real commitment of the clients and the studio towards the environment.

Ton-sur-ton panels develop along the main façade and take on different forms, with the aim of stripping the building of its extremely symmetrical aesthetic, typical of the building’s original architectural setting. A change that is rich in impact and yet at the same time in complete harmony with the geometrical forms and typical patterns of the fifties and sixties. All the rooms have balconies, the majority of them overlook the stunning Gulf of Sorrento and together with the afore-mentioned panels play a part in interrupting the rigidity of the architecture. The different tree species, carefully chosen and positioned on all the balconies, are highlighted by the colours of the façade and communicate seamlessly with the surrounding nature.

Internal garden and swimming pool

The external spaces in this project play a fundamental role in the uninterrupted play on the “outside” and the “inside”. While the front benefits from the wonderful view of the Gulf of Sorrento, the back of the hotel overlooks a large garden of almost 2,000 square meters, with organic forms and a large variety of plants - including citrus plants, palms, a large magnolia, selected firsthand by the studio Spagnulo&Partners in collaboration with local plant nurseries - and different materials such as natural stone, wood and ceramics. A 30 meters long ellipsoidal swimming pool is located here, perfectly embraced within this green, lush garden. The pool itself is surrounded by contemporary furnishings (Varaschin), stone, wood and ceramic flooring.

The study and analysis of materials

Sorrento, just like the entire Amalfi Coast, offers an extraordinary variety of identity-making elements which have been discovered and reinterpreted in a contemporary key to create a seamless setting reflecting tradition and modernity.

In the study and analysis of colours and choice of materials, many references to the culture of Campania can be found. A classic example is that of the handmade ceramics (by Giovanni De Maio) on a terracotta base (rather than a stoneware one): they are used considerably in the interior design of the bedrooms, to create wall coverings/coatings or “ceramic carpets” as well as for the bathroom spaces. Almost all the tiles were designed by the studio and can be ordered by the client. They reflect the typical traditional Sorrento colours: blue, light blue and red. The floors in the rooms are made of woods of varying shades reflecting maritime traditions (by Listone Giordano) and neutral natural stones, as well as coarse fabrics made from blue, green and red spins and weaves endorsing an imprint of techniques of the past (by Mariantonia Urru). Vases and objects from the Sorrento artisan tradition made by local craftsmen, based also on designs by Spagnulo&Partners, complete the styling of the rooms. Furthermore, the study, analysis and selection of materials has always been guided by a marked sustainable awareness: in addition to the solar panels the vast majority of workers and materials are local, with the aim to create a local, close to home project.

Common spaces

The ground floor has a large surface area and numerous common, shared areas: from the hall to the large adjacent lounge, through to the bar and the restaurant which overlook the internal garden. Spagnulo&Partners decided to use these large reception areas for the exhibition of works of art. The rooms have large walls, perfectly designed to hold exhibitions and paintings thanks to a system of hooks with rods to avoid drilling the walls, just as in art galleries and museums. A collaboration was therefore started with the Nicola Pedana Art Gallery (based in Caserta) in order to to host thematic works and exhibitions on a rotation basis. The first artists to be showcased will be Luigi Mainolfi and Marco Gastini. The paintings and the artists will change on a seasonal basis and hotel guests or even the external public will have the opportunity to appreciate something different. In this way the hotel transforms itself into a cultural hub, a public place that promotes not only hospitality and entertainment, but also cultural activities. A place to discover contemporary art and local culture.

Another essential, shared, common space is the Roof-top Bar, created in the roof garden overlooking the Gulf of Sorrento and surrounded (on its outer limits) by low, typically- Mediterranean greenery. An exclusive lift provides access, giving even those who are not guests at the hotel the opportunity to enjoy a unique and fully immersive experience. This too is a project created to foster the strong continuity between the interiors and the exterior spaces, even in terms of materials, colours and finishes.

Rooms, suites and signature suites

Every type of room, regardless of whether it is a standard double room or a suite, has benefitted from a bespoke interior design project, reflecting the mood of the entire hotel. The two signature suites, located on the fifth floor, are true works of art. These are “jewels” with impeccable design and fine furnishings, creating harmonious spaces where comfort and the extraordinary panoramic beauty are brought together.

Thala SPA

The studio also conceived and developed the design of the spa area as well as the gym, a wellfinished environment with cutting-edge equipment by Tecnogym. Functionality and beauty are ultimately perfectly balanced in this project. Spagnulo&Partners based its research not only on the cultural setting but also on the analysis of the flows of people and sizing of the spaces, both those dedicated to guests and visitors as well as those for services. A reasoning which provides a clear vision based on aesthetic and functional requirements.

Team:

Architect: Spagnulo&Partners

Photo credits: Barbara Pau, Stefano Pinci

Material Used: 

- Bed headboard fabrics; bedroom rugs and cushions: Mariantonia Urru

- Furniture and fixed furnishings: Molteni 

- Accessories and tiles in the bedrooms and in the common, shared spaces (bathroom tiles designed by Spagnulo&Partners): Giovanni de Maio

- Decorative lighting: Panzeri 

- Outdoor furniture: Varaschin 

- Ground floor wine showcases: Signature Kitchen

- Parquet in bedrooms and common, shared areas: Listone Giordano

- Taps and bathroom fittings: Zucchetti 

- Heated towel rails: Tubes 

- Bathroom fixtures: Simas 

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