BECKER´S Hotel & Restaurant Trier, Germany

Amidst the vineyards and rolling hills of Trier, one of the oldest cities in Europe, dating back to Roman times, Becker’s Hotel & Restaurant grounds itself both in nature and in a family tradition that goes back five generations. Through the use of natural materials such as stone and wood, the property appears as if it is almost nestled within its surroundings. Seen from the outside, the lobby glows through large-paned windows, while the building’s volcanic rock façade gives the impression of a warm hearth. Blocks of charcoal grey basalt form a recurring motif inside the hotel as well, their subtly varying patterns lending the design a dynamic yet truly classic timelessness. Yet Becker’s self-professed heart is its kitchen. Done in black and white, the restaurant it serves suggests a sophistication befitting a black-tie event or a white wedding, while the wine bar’s deeper, darker tones evoke a cosmopolitan night out. Here, too, are the ubiquitous basalt stones, but the simple rectangular shelving for the wine glasses adds a repetitive, almost artistic visual element to the room, perhaps citing the reserved dignity of a Donald Judd sculpture. In the guestrooms, the stones give way to finely patterned dark wood floors combined with the glow of low spot lighting. A simple pane of glass separates the dark tiled shower from the sleeping area, adding a hint of airiness to the otherwise earthy elements embodied in the hotel’s design. At Becker’s, German winecountry hospitality is writ large, but is certainly footnoted with a
sophisticated, modern touch.

Dipl.Des. Ingbert, Jutta Schilz, Andreas Bohr (design) and Hans Jürgen Stein (execution).