GESA HANSEN

Iconically known for establishing hotels with unique and creative identities that are dotted around the historic city of Paris, is the The Orso Hotel group. Founded by Anouk and Louis Solanet, the couple have worked in collaboration with some of France’s trendy and contemporary designers ranging from Festen Architecture, Hauvette Madani and Romain Chirat. One of its latest collaborations is with the German-Danish interior and furniture designer, Gesa Hansen, who worked with the group to decorate and style Hotel Ami - one of the newest additions to the collection of Orso Hotels. Hansen who was born into an illustrious Danish design company and who graduated from the Bauhaus University in Weimar and Fine Arts School in Nagoya, started her career working at the Jean Nouvel Studio. 

Hotel Ami is located in Paris’ 15th arrondissement in Saint Lambert, where local artisans and shops can be found. The hotel is set within a former postal workers’ building, and has been operating for almost a century since 1925. The exterior facade of the hotel has been refreshed in a rendered white, to deliberately accentuate the archetypical curves from the Art Deco period and frame the main entry doors and windows. 

‘Ami’ means ‘friend’ in French and the hotel was designed as a place to welcome guests as friends. The hotel’s motto is “Les amis des mon Ami sont mes amis!” - My Friend’s friends are my friends!.

For this project, Hansen infused Bauhaus principles with added notes of joyful cosmopolitan vibes to the hotel. Industrial materials such as the terracotta bricks were used and applied to the reception and bar counter as an ode to celebrate Parisian brickwork. Hansen chose to carry out the brickwork patterned theme throughout the breakfast and courtyard area by dressing the walls and floors to create a warm and textured environment. A central emerald green leather lounge was installed to offset the terracotta, with brass round dining tables with oak table-tops, creating a relaxed and informal open communal space for guests to dine.

As guests make their way through the staircase, they are given a warm embrace by the custom designed Hotel Ami signature print carpet the designer chose to install to welcome the guests. The 41 guest rooms have been designed in tones using the same inviting hues that were found in the lobby and dining rooms ranging from red, yellow and green. Hansen who has a background in working with timber as a furniture designer, chose to install the rooms with parquet floors and functional timber furniture pieces that were multi-purposed to serve as a storage closet, shelving and desk all in one. The rooms were also dressed by Maison Thevenon curtains that added subtle playful accents to the vibrant spaces. In the bathrooms, the brickwork patterns that were introduced in the dining rooms below, were echoed and implied through handmade subway tiles in a combination of warm colours. 

Hotel Ami is a vibrant and playful abode that offers its guests a unique form of hospitality that combines both comfort within an artful setting as designed by one of Europe’s contemporary designers. The hotel is designed to meet the diverse needs of its clientele ranging from families, to couples or those who are travelling with friends or alone. With the Olympic Games set to be held in Paris 2024, this will no doubt be a place to stay for the Olympic season!

PHOTOGRAPHY | ROMAIN RICARD