An expansive piazza occupies the heart of the Dorothea Hotel, Budapest, part of Marriott’s Autograph collection, showering guests in daylight via a glass roof. More than just the nucleus of the 216-room property, which is also home to two dozen residences, the destination symbolizes the transformation of three historic structures restored and connected by Milan-based architecture and design studio Lissoni & Partners.
“Our intervention sought to respect the city and the buildings themselves,” says practice lead Piero Lissoni. “We approached the task like a tailor: The inside of the dress has a few tears and the overall garment is a bit worn, but the dress itself is still beautiful. We removed the unnecessary parts and kept the ones that were still good.”
Constructed in 1873, the Neo-Renaissance Weber building previously served as the headquarters of the United Budapest Metropolitan Savings Bank, while the Mahart building from 1913 housed the Hungarian River and Sea Shipping Company within its Art Nouveau confines. Rounding out the block is the modernist Münnich building, which was crafted in 1937 with a blend of Art Deco and Bauhaus flair.
Despite divergent typologies and proportions, a three-elevator core unites Münnich and Weber as the hotel, while the residences are accessed via the piazza. All three structures are now linked through new back-of-house connections.
To create a cohesive look, Lissoni crafted “a dialogue between the contemporary and the historical,” he says. “Everything is connected with the culture, but through our [modern] interpretation.”
Take the large concrete bas reliefs found in the lobby, which are redolent of traditional Hungarian decorative patterns. Meanwhile, modern interventions were used to enhance original staircases. Colored glass was added to one to dramatic effect, and another, adjacent to the front desk, is newly encased in a shell of blue ceramic tiles, inspired by Zsolnay stoneware.
A reference to the Danube River, blue hues also stretch across the tiled counters of the Anton Bar & Deli, where classic wood surfaces refreshed with gray paint contrast the eclectic furnishings.
Beyond, classic patterns animate corridor carpeting in Dorothea’s distinctive cobalt tone, which also adorns the walls. Artwork also plays a prominent role. Developed in collaboration with local artist Zoltán Tombor, photography and antique paintings capture Budapest as a modern, cosmopolitan city while still honoring its past. The portraits on the guestroom doors, for instance, were sourced from the archives of the Hungarian National Gallery.
To that end, guestrooms, like the public areas, present a stark minimalism with dark wooden furniture, white walls, and curtains juxtaposing sumptuous accents of burgundy and emerald. While some accommodations look out onto the busy street, others overlook the piazza, where greenery, water features, and sunlight cultivate an oasis from the bustling city beyond.
Crowning Dorothea is a new piano nobile wrapped around the perimeter of the rooftop. This includes an alfresco lounge where guests bask in city views—a nod to Budapest’s own cultural evolution. “When we designed the rooftop, it was to be gentle,” Lissoni adds. “Without resorting to disruptive architecture, we gave new life to structures that can now be enjoyed by everyone.”
This article originally appeared in HD’s October 2024 issue.