David Chipperfield Architects Berlin, in collaboration with Ester Buzkus Architeken, has won the international competition to design the newest NOBU Hotel and Restaurant in Hamburg. In fact, David Chipperfield is also the architect for the entire Elbtower building, currently under construction, where the Nobu Hotel will occupy two of the three wings in the seven-story base of the tower. When completed, it should be the tallest building in Hamburg, at 230 meters.
The distinctive elements of the surrounding area inspired the design, selection of materials, and color scheme of the Hamburg Nobu hotel. Accurately depicting the background scenery of northern Germany, the chosen materials reinterprets the harbor, the sea, sand, shells, and plants. Contrasting between cool concrete, natural stone, and warm wood, the design is centered on simple, raw-quality materials. In fact, the minimalist, concise design language is inspired by Japanese cuisine and the way it is prepared.
According to Nobu Hotels' design philosophy, the hotel's focal point is its restaurant. Visitors are directed up a staircase from the first-floor restaurant's entryway, which is laid out as a sequence of discrete rooms leading to the eating area. A cocktail lounge with views of the Elbe River is located on either side of the stair hall, and a light-wood bar serves as the entrance to the main dining room. The sushi bar, which is situated at the far end of the eating area and is theatrically lit as the centerpiece of the space, is surrounded by glass, mirrors, and wood-paneled walls.
Guests can look out across the whole length of the hall thanks to the furniture's ability to divide the room into more private, cozy spaces. The 188 hotel rooms and suites, some with their own roof terraces, are on the four stories above the restaurant, while conference rooms are located on the same level. A bar with a large outdoor space on the sixth floor provides a panoramic view of Hamburg's HafenCity and the Elbe River. The fitness center, which shares a floor with a spa and an outdoor Japanese onsen bath, looks out over the panoramic views of the city. The exclusive Nobu members club expands the view over the entirety of the city from its 56th-floor location, directly above the tower's public viewing deck.
Earlier this year, Sir David Chipperfield was selected as the Laureate of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the highest honor in Architecture. In 2022, the architecture studio unveiled the design of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games area. Sitting at the core of Milano Santa Giulia, the area will house sports and cultural events with up to 16,000 visitors. Finally, David Chipperfield won the competition to design the Elbtower, where NOBU will be located. The Elbtower is currently under construction.
