Puro is an iconic 22 room boutique hotel located in the heart of La Lonja, in the historical center of Palma.

Adapting itself to the different existing buildings, the hotel has an irregular configuration. The refurbishment project by OHLAB takes advantage of that complexity as a potential tool to generate unexpected and unique spaces where each room is different from each other. The project solves every room with individualized and unique layouts and solutions. The selection of natural and local materials emphasizing the Mediterranean essence has been very important. Another important focus has been the conception of the bathrooms as spaces for pleasure, spacious and integrated with the bedrooms, with generous, sculptural and freestanding bathtubs placed in the bedrooms just as another piece of furniture.

The artist Pedro Oliver worked closely with OHLAB producing a special pictorial work for this project, a series of unique custom made mural paintings strategically placed in each room.

Puro is defined as an urban oasis, cosmopolitan and contemporary but with local roots that make it unique. A simple palette of natural materials is a constant throughout the project: oak wood, cement sinks and bathroom walls, recovered mares-stone walls – the traditional limestone used in traditional majorcan architecture-, natural hemp ropes, stainless steel switches and fittings, aged leather, linen, cotton, fabrics designed by OHLAB and produced on ancient majorcan looms for upholstery, cushions and plaids, raffia carpets and wicker baskets produced locally, etc. Also, the solid wooden mandala doors, hallmark of the hotel since its origins, have been recovered. 

The majority of the furniture has been specifically designed by OHLAB for the hotel. Beds, headboards, benches, pure and simple lines are integrated in the room creating a relaxed and lounge atmosphere. Out of this furniture designed is worth highlighting a series of aged bronze pieces inspired on traditional metal carts that bellboys use for carrying the luggage, which replace the old cabinets, desks, minibars and support furniture.

The new maxi bar cart, included within this series, includes the more ludic items of the room and works like a fragment of a real bar with all the tools required to perform the best cocktails inside the room.

Credits

Client: Puro Hotel

Architecture and Interior Design: OHLAB / Paloma Hernaiz and Jaime Oliver

OHLAB team: Paloma Hernaiz and Jaime Oliver with Rebeca Lavín, José Allona, Amaia Barazar, Rosa Fuentes, Silvia Morais, Manuela Sánchez

Project Management: Paloma Hernaiz, Jaime Oliver (architects), Jorge Ramón (quantity surveyor)

Art work: Pedro Oliver

Photos: José Hevia

About OHLAB

OHLAB is an award-winning office devoted to urban analysis and cultural research of contemporary society through design, architectural practice and urban strategy. OHLAB has been recently described by the Chicago Atheneum as “one of Europe’s most important and emerging young architects of 2014”.

The office, directed by Paloma Hernaiz and Jaime Oliver, was originally established in Shanghai, moved to Madrid and currently its main office is in Palma de Mallorca where a team of 10 architects and interior designers are working in projects in Mallorca, Madrid, New York, LA and Miami.