Freshly unveiled in the classic cultural quarter at the heart of Gothenburg, Sweden is the 474-room Clarion Hotel Draken, a new flagship from developer and operator Strawberry (formerly known as Nordic Choice). Locally based design and branding studio Stylt created the property’s identity and interiors concept aimed at amplifying local culture through inspirations from film, theater, music, fashion, art, and design.
Not only is the iconic Draken cinema encompassed within the hotel, the city also enjoys a reputation as the Nordic region’s cinematic capital and hosts the Gothenburg Film Festival, whose board of directors has included Stylt founder Erik Nissen Johansen. “The hotel’s ambition to become one of the country’s most dynamic cultural and entertainment hubs aligns perfectly with the cultural vibrancy of the area,” says Nissen Johansen.
Close proximity to Folkteatern, one of the city’s most vibrant theaters; Folkets Hus, a hub of Gothenberg’s labor movement; and the general area’s rich music and performing arts scene further added to the Clarion Hotel Draken’s design concept.
The hotel itself is a symbiosis of opposites: a high-rise new-build that smoothly integrates with the historic structure’s cinema and theater. Stylt’s conceptual design shines through in the public areas, multiple bars and restaurants, a cinematic spa, screening room, library, a meeting space with panoramic views, and in the restaurant on uppermost 33rd level, where a glowing 20-meter-long “dragon” (draken translates to the dragon) is suspended from the ceiling.
“The blend of local culture and extensive hospitality makes Draken a truly unique project. Additionally, our design studio is the hotel’s closest neighbor, so this also becomes our new living room,” says Anneli Soumalainen, lead interior architect at Stylt.
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