With the largest number of hotels in the world, Courtyard by Marriott is the trend-setting brand within the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio. Recently, a new guest room design was developed, and sustainability was the key factor for the project. The Courtyard by Marriott Berlin City Center is the first hotel to introduce the new European design strategy and Bolon is proud to be part of it.
Stockholm-based interior design studio, Living Design, was responsible for the design and together with Marriott International they developed a sustainable concept. 257 rooms, 6 studios and 4 apartments underwent a complete renovation and now offer eco-friendly living combined with innovative technology.
Spacious floor plans with flexible workplaces combine a diverse mix of materials, and no detail has been neglected with regard to the carbon footprint. For example, a conscious decision was made to use high-quality foiling for the room doors instead of installing new doors. New in-house water softening systems for hot and cold water as well as water aerators were used to minimize chemical cleaning and reduce water consumption. LED spotlights provide energy-efficient lighting. “Sustainability has been implemented at all levels of design" says Tarek Hegazy, Creative Director at Living Design.
For the flooring, Living Design together with Marriott International and the Courtyard by Marriott Berlin City Center, decided on Bolon. Durability, recycled content and energy-efficiency in production as well as low maintenance were key factors for the choice.
"We are happy that our flooring was selected by the Courtyard by Marriott as sustainability is essential to us. Our flooring is produced in our own plant in Sweden only using renewable energy. Also, our production waste is recycled in our factory and integrated into all new products. As little as 21% of the materials we use are of fossil origin. Our flooring contains a combination of chalk, PVC, non-hazardous additives, as well as recycled material, and we fulfill and exceed environmental certificates." says Håkan Nordin, Head of Sustainability at Bolon.
The flooring for the new Courtyard room design has a 10-year guarantee and will not suffer any wear and tear in all that time. Cleaning is particularly environmentally friendly due to the use of only water. Lastly, but not least, the health properties of Bolon flooring are a supreme choice.
For hotel settings as they are hypoallergenic and antibacterial. So, barefoot walking is welcomed.
To complement the aesthetic of the Courtyard by Marriott Berlin City Center, a custom design was created. "There was the idea of a flooring with a dégradé effect within the hotel room; it should change from blue to beige." says Lisa Jarhult, Product Developer at Bolon. "With our innovative weaving techniques, it is possible to respond to customer-specific wishes. With this project, however, we have expanded our horizons, because it was not easy to achieve an even colour transition. Only by arranging the warp threads in a special way, we have finally achieved the desired effect and could combine the colour change with a Zig Zag pattern" she adds.
The clever room design skilfully shows off the flooring, so the sleeping area is always on the blue-dominated zones.
"We are very proud to be the first Courtyard Hotel in Europe to implement the brand's new design concept," says Michael Heigl, General Manager of the Courtyard by Marriott Berlin City Center. "During the renovation and the selection of products, we put great emphasis on sustainability in order to combine environmentally friendly living with innovative technology, thus also meeting the needs of the travelers. This said, the guest was always at the center of every question that arose regarding the expansion and implementation."