Silver A' Design Award Winner 2023
Deep navy blue walls establish the chromatic foundation of Magdalena Federowicz-Boule's Royal Tulip Warsaw Apartments Aparthotel bar interior, where an elegantly curved architectural portal frames an illuminated back bar displaying spirits in warm amber and crystalline vessels arranged across dark shelving in a composition suggesting both theatrical presentation and functional hospitality design. The compositional architecture employs a central focal axis dominated by the distinctive arched bar structure, its curved profile creating a visual embrace that draws the eye inward through subtle asymmetrical balance, while the golden-toned brass vertical balusters of the bar front establish rhythmic repetition that grounds the lower register of the image. A grid-mounted constellation of opalescent globe pendant lights crowns the bar area, their milky luminosity creating soft diffused illumination that warms the otherwise cool palette, while supplementary table lamps with frosted spherical shades punctuate the seating areas with intimate pools of warm amber light suggesting late evening ambiance. The chromatic harmony operates through a sophisticated split-complementary scheme wherein the dominant Prussian blue and slate tones find counterpoint in brass and copper metallic accents, cream and taupe upholstered seating, and the rich cognac warmth of polished hardwood flooring that anchors the space with organic materiality. Textural variation achieves notable complexity through the juxtaposition of smooth leather upholstery in navy and dove gray, subtly patterned fabric on bar stools suggesting jacquard weave, the industrial authenticity of exposed concrete ceiling with visible ductwork painted in coordinating dark tones, and the deliberate patina of the feature wall at right where a serpentine warm-white neon installation traces abstract curves against weathered plaster surface suggesting aged fresco or deliberately distressed finish. The spatial construction employs shallow depth perspective with the curved bar functioning as a threshold element between viewer space and the service zone beyond, while the brass vertical elements create a permeable screen that maintains visual connectivity while establishing ceremonial separation between realms. Edge behaviors vary purposefully throughout, with hard geometric precision in the architectural archway and lighting grid contrasting against the organic flow of the neon artwork and the softened transitions where warm lamplight dissolves into ambient shadow, creating visual rhythm that activates the entire composition with dynamic tension resolved through material and chromatic cohesion.
Royal Tulip Warsaw is a modern aparthotel that creates a new category in hospitality: a hybrid of a luxury hotel, home, and office. The rich history of the place, as well as of Warsaw itself, became an inspiration for designers. Inspired by the great district plan of the capital from the 1920s, they alluded to its shape and the arrangement of its districts. In the whole building can be found analogies to parts of the city such as Wola, Srodmiescie, or Zoliborz.