12 Jul. 2010 – Hamburg’s new landmark, the Elbphilharmonie Concert House, is rising up between the Landungsbrücken and the HafenCity.

The building, designed by Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron, will have 26 floors and extend to a height of approximately 110 metres. Above the car park in the base, the historic Kaispeicher A warehouse, the 3,200 square metre plaza will reach a height of 37 metres.

The platform, with public access, will be open on all four sides and afford panoramic views. From here, a walkway will lead up to the glass-fronted new build and a unique combination of three concert halls, 45 flats and a Westin Group hotel.

Interior designer Tassilo Boer is the man in charge of the furnishings. He explained: “The Elbphilharmonie is a special project in general. The architecture and location are exceptional.”

The building’s concept, especially its undulating roof landscape, is defined by the location. Both are perpetuated in the interior furnishings.

“The interior architectural concept is extremely ambitious because of its direct correlation with the spectacular architecture and exposed location of the structural shell”, explains Bost, the developer of the corresponding design and colour concept. The themes are sand, water and air and the colours are sandy shades with white and blue accents.

In addition, the interior designer, who comes from Berlin, uses custom-built pieces to create a link between the interior and exterior design. For example, the wave motif crops up again on the furniture, wall design and lighting.

The distinctive feature of the bar and simultaneously part of the concept, designed to characterise a haven in the midst of the busy port and nearby city centre, is a carpet design reminiscent of a sandy beach washed over by seawater.

Another component of the concept is however to show that the 5-star hostelry is unmistakeably a Westin hotel. One example of the standard of this hotel chain is the multi-award-winning ‘Heavenly Bed’. A back-friendly mattress, three fine cotton sheets, a quilt and a total of five pillows ensure a good and healthy night’s sleep.

The sixth Westin Hotel on German soil will be housed in the eastern section of the Elbphilharmonie and will have 244 rooms and 39 suites, including a presidential suite. The target opening date for the Elbphilharmonie and therefore the hotel is May 2012.