GRAND HOTEL

REDESIGNING MODERN LIFE

VANCOUVER ART GALLERY HATJE CANTZ

SOCIAL
CULTURE
TOM MICHELBERGER, NADINE MAY, AZAR KAZIMIR AND ANJA KNAUER
INTERVIEWED BY JENNIFER M. VOLLAND
A DIFFERENT
KIND OF HOTEL
EVOLVES IN
BERLIN
JENNIFER M. VOLLAND How did you end up in Berlin?
TOM MICHELBERGER We both came to Berlin because it
inspired us. We had found our new home. We come
from the west side of Germany where people have
a very classical approach to life and career. Berlin
allows for more experimentation and nobody cares
too much about conventional structure.
NADINE MAY Berlin lets you try out things. You meet
people in a natural way and you meet people who
share ideas. People find Berlin for various reasons
but they all have something in common. Berlin felt
very open. The city instantly inspires you.
J.M.V. And how did you select this particular neighbour-
hood for the Michelberger?
T.M. The hotel occupies one of only five buildings
on this street that were all designed by the same
INTERVIEW
architect. It is 120 years old and it was a former
factory. We are located in between the two dis-
tricts of Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg, cornered
by two bridges and near the underground. It is a
very neutral location. When we came here, it was
a cool neighbourhood to live in, but it was not the
most visited area for tourists. Some would even have
considered it off the map. The past years it more
and more became the heart of Berlins vibrant and
diverse nightlife scene. The combination with the
culturally diverse neighbourhoods made it one of
the most interesting destinations for an experience
beyond the major sites. It felt and feels good that
people would have to find their way to us.
J.M.V. Tell me about your ideas for the Michelberger.
T.M. At the time, Berlin was the only place that some-
thing like this could grow. We always knew we
wanted to do something on our own, but we defi-
nitely do not have hotel backgrounds. And we never
really looked at other hotels. We just thought about
286
combination of all the characters and people that
OPPOSITE TOP Michelberger
Hotel, Berlin (during
construction), 2009
OPPOSITE BOTTOM Studio
Aisslinger, room, Michelberger
Hotel, Berlin, 2009. Photo by
James Paff, 2010
287
why the idea was important to us. The more we
talked about it, the more we thought we had to do it.
T.M. This place has evolved with our personalities.
As we get older, the Michelberger grows with us. We
We thought of what it could be, a social space where never felt it had to have the structure and rules of the
people from all different backgrounds could congre- big chain hotels. We dont feel like hotel directors;
gate, and a lively and productive space that could we just have to move along and let others move along
become the centre of our lives. We never had a target with us. But we always try to stay sensitive to the
group. We wanted to make it very open. For everyone needs of the people that work here.
it is something differentwhether it is the design,
or the social atmosphere, whatever. It is a natural
selection of a very diverse audience. The hotel is a
work here. But first and foremost, we have done our
homework and built a hotel that operates on all levels
most professionally. If you just want a good bed and
quick checking in and out, you get it. If you want
more from your visit, its there to find.
J.M.V. Youve described the hotel as an ever-evolving
entity. Explain.
N.M. We interact daily with the people that come here
and solicit their feedback. You never have the feeling
you are completely satisfied. In that way, we are
always trying to improve and try out new things.
CULTURE INTERVIEW 288 A DIFFERENT KIND OF HOTEL EVOLVES IN BERLIN TOM MICHELBERGER, NADINE MAY, AZAR K AZIMIR AND ANJA KNAUER 289
INTERVIEWED BY JENNIFER M. VOLLAND

J.M.V. You do have an interesting internal working

structure.

N.M. I guess. But to us it feels natural. Its a structure

that is constantly evolvingthat creates little and
big spaces for people to leave their mark.

T.M. To some degree you need the hierarchy, but it

doesnt have to feel hierarchical. There is nothing
like my job is more important than your job.
Everyone in the system is just as important as the OPPOSITE LEFT Studio Aisslinger,
others, and people can easily move wherever they The Big One, Michelberger
want to move. There is an openness and appreciation Hotel, Berlin, 2009. Photo by
James Pfaff, 2010

OPPOSITE TOP RIGHT Studio

Aisslinger, Loft Room,
Michelberger Hotel, Berlin,
2009. Photo by James Pfaff,
2010

OPPOSITE BOTTOM RIGHT

Michelberger Hotel, Berlin,
2009. Photo by James Pfaff,
2009

So Nadine and I went to Thailand. We found the

for all. People have a very personal experience here.
This is important because everything we do gives us
more freedom. In the end, your work life should be
quality time. In this regard, it is important for us to
decide who we work with.
J.M.V. Does this relate to your decision to have the design
studio in-house?
N.M. We are able to carry out ideas in-house because
we have the design studio. Its easy because we all
know each other very well. It would feel odd to ask
an agency. In this way, we can act quickly and do
something special. To have this as an integrated part
of the hotel feels very natural. Early on, we made the
decision to keep on the creative talent. Their signa-
ture is on everything we do.
T.M. From the start, we thought of the hotel as a base
for ideas. The money we make we reinvest in our
own products, like our coconut water. We couldnt
find anything like it in Berlin and we wanted it.
most amazing plantation and figured out a way of
distribution.
J.M.V. When we met a few years ago one of you said that
the Michelberger is more like a family hotel than a tra-
ditional one. Do you consider it a hotel first?
N.M. It is definitely a hotel. Foremost, we have to
make sure that the rooms are clean and that there is
coffee here in the morning.
T.M. If you want to see more, then there can be more.
Sometimes we are described as family-run. We offer
a similar experience to the places we visited when
we were kids. But this is not a traditional family.
Although it feels like a family, we are not bound by
blood and there are not any of the negative parts of the
family dynamic. There is more bonding and sharing
of interests. In general though, there is a tendency
to theme hotels. But you cannot strategically theme
things. People cant be fooled. They like to relate to
the things. At least this is what we like to believe.
J.M.V. In the Grand Hotel exhibition, we give a lot of
attention the idea of the hotel as a cultural incuba-
tor, where creative types not only congregate but also
produce. Do you see the Michelberger this way? TOP Michelberger Hotel Studio,
door keycards, Michelberger
Hotel, Berlin, 2009. Photo by
T.M. The hotel gives us all a reason to be here, and James Pfaff, 2009
when people are interested in similar things, things
BOTTOM Exterior signage,
happen. We programmed music into the hotel, Michelberger Hotel, Berlin,
not because we wanted to get cool musicians, but 2009. Photo by James Pfaff,
because it was already a part of our lives. You cant 2009
CULTURE
plan spontaneous, amazing concerts. But we can
decide at five in the evening to post a blog entry and
this might attract 200 people. But we dont see this as
planning. Rather, it happens organically.
N.M. The performers are on stage, but they dont feel
on stage. There is an audience, but at the same
time, it is not an audience. It is all one. The space
has intimacy and it allows things to happen. We
cannot decide who comes in here, but we can create
a space that is a product of us, a space that feels invit-
ing. For example, there are multiple doors into the
lobby. Many people come in and dont realize it is a
hotel. We want it to be inviting for everybody, not just
friends or hotel guests. If you put love into an envi-
ronment, then people will feel attracted to it. People
find the space to be protective and embracing.
INTERVIEW
T.M. Last summer we had the Michelberger Mystery
Music Festival. We shut down the hotel for three
days except to the performers, friends and indi-
viduals from the booking agencies, and we didnt
announce the bands before the event. This is exactly
the kind of freedom that we talk about. Long before
we actually opened the hotel, we envisioned that
people would be looking out their windows into the
courtyard below, and this is exactly what happened.
It was a very magical moment for us. So we dont try
to make the hotel lively everyday. Sometimes there
will just be three people in the lobby. Whatever we
do, it has to be something we fully enjoy and support.
The Festival had such lasting effects on us and ev-
erybody that took part. Freedom is the greatest gift,
to be able to say yes or no to different things. We do
things when they feel right.
290 A DIFFERENT KIND OF HOTEL EVOLVES IN BERLIN
J.M.V. What are your plans for the future?
T.M. The Michelberger has been open three years
now. I think of how much growing there was. We all
know each other so well now. It is fortunate to be sur-
rounded with people you trust. But we dont consider
ourselves to be hotel directors. Of course, we were
involved in all the operations at the beginning, but
not anymore. At some point, you have to let go. We
continue to go to the hotel every day when we are
in Berlin. But now we only work on the perspective
and continued vision and we are there to offer guid-
ance to others. We never really thought of having
another hotel, but weve always seen New York as a
very inspiring place and we feel that we would never
get bored there, so we are looking to open a second
hotel therea sister hoteltogether with two musi-
cians who we became great friends with, who share
similar feelings and urges to those we had in Berlin.
N.M. There has been some attention to our hotel in
ABOVE The Michelberger
Mystery Music Festival. Photo
Berlin, but we never felt the need to go anywhere.
by Matze Hielscher and Uli The idea just evolved. It is not about timing. It is
Peters, 2011 about where our personalities are now. But even if we
TOM MICHELBERGER, NADINE MAY, AZAR K AZIMIR AND ANJA KNAUER 291
INTERVIEWED BY JENNIFER M. VOLLAND
find someone who gives us the money, it still needs
to fit and to feel comfortable.
J.M.V. And will your team in Berlin be involved?
N.M. We are open to new people and what they will
bring in. But it will be an integration of the existing
team and new people we meet. Once they are both up LEFT Michelberger Hotel,
and running there will be a constant short- and long- Berlin, 2009. Photo by James
Pfaff, 2010
term exchange of people.
TOP RIGHT Studio Aisslinger,
Loft Room, Michelberger
T.M. This new venture will be much bigger. We Hotel, Berlin, 2009. Photo by
cant make the same mistakes we did the first time James Pfaff, 2010
around, and we need to trust what weve learned. We
BOTTOM RIGHT Studio Aisslinger,
[will] start this project with another level of experi- reception area, Michelberger
ence. The more projects we do, the more we know Hotel, Berlin, 2009. Photo by
what we are good at. James Pfaff, 2009
CULTURE
J.M.V. How did you become involved in the Michelberger
Hotel?
AZAR K AZIMIR I heard from a friend that someone
wanted to do a new concept for a hotel in Berlin. I had
recently left the advertising world and had opened my
own design studio. I went to see Tom and Nadine in
this huge empty building. They explained the concept
and after five minutes I thought, Yeah, this is going
to work. I created six weeks worth of workwhat
I felt was the creative expression of the hotel, rather
than the physical manifestation of the building. In
other words, how would the Michelberger speak
outside the confines of the building? They loved the
work. Until this time, they hadnt yet been exposed to
potential graphical expressions of the hotel. This was
good because it allowed them to envision things in a
fresh and open way. I started with them as my client.
After some time, six to eight months perhaps, I
thought, I shouldnt do this from my home. I should
just be the studio inside the hotel. We always knew
the hotel was supposed to be for people like uscre-
ative people. It worked because it provided stability.
Then I wouldnt be at odds with a client. It became
a way of empowerment and freedom after years of
being dicked around at agencies. Because the day-to-
day work would be for the hotel and that relationship
had proven to work very well, and I would not have
to take on work simply because I needed to, external
to the hotel, I would always be able to choose what
INTERVIEW
I would or wouldnt do, or walk away if the client
behaved poorly.
Also, at that time, I had thought that the studio
would work for external clients, [that it] would also
provide an income stream. That hasnt happened
as I imagined. Firstly, the amount of work for the
hotel gets bigger and bigger, so there is little spare
time. And on the few occasions where we tried to
292 A DIFFERENT KIND OF HOTEL EVOLVES IN BERLIN
do something with an external client, it never really
worked out or was difficult, for all the usual reasons.
I worried about this, but then Tom and Nadine said
to me one day that we would benefit much more if
we spent our time and energy on ourselves and our
own projects, and not on others. And of course they
were totally right. So in the end were a design studio
which only works for ourselves. Sounds weird, but I
can assure you, from my point of view, its wonderful.
Finally, the idea of a hotel with a design studio was
original. I was conscious about the trend toward multi-
disciplinary brandsthe idea that the hotel doesnt
just have to be a hotel. We didnt have to work with an
agency. The move fit with the zeitgeist of the time.
J.M.V. Tell me about your creative vision for the
Michelberger.
A.K. There was a big synergy between Tom and
Nadine and me. My background is in advertis-
ing. I had come from a world of adapting to clients
needs. But Tom was talking about something that
was handcrafted and full of detail, and I thought I
could translate that into graphic design. The graphic
program is a direct expression of the hotel, and
incidentally, it was also indicative of the time. The
Internet had destroyed the preciousness of graphics.
The aesthetic had become rough and ready and, in a
way, ugly. This fit with their mentality. They are con-
stantly in movement. So rather than reprint things
all the time, which on occasion we have to do, we
focus on recharging or renewing the work, without
making things too careful or too pretty. It is impor-
tant for us to be irreverent, to be cheeky. We always
TOM MICHELBERGER, NADINE MAY, AZAR K AZIMIR AND ANJA KNAUER 293
INTERVIEWED BY JENNIFER M. VOLLAND
try to remember that the place was for people like
us. The rooms are simple. The rates are low. But we
have people at the hotel full time whose job it is to
create things for people to look at. That is a luxury
that guests could appreciate. They realize the work
that goes into each detail. That is a different type of
luxury than the typical hotel, but it is still a luxury.
A keycard costs the same to print whether they are
white or they have a graphic.
J.M.V. What was the original scope of your design work?
A.K. It was very organic. Some things needed to be
done. Tom and Nadine brought in ideas. Then some
things would come from me. Everything was fair
game drawing on walls, basi-
cally anything with a surface.
J.M.V. The Michelberger has
OPPOSITE TOP Michelberger
always been described to us as an Hotel Studio, illustration
evolving project. So what now? for Intersection Magazine,
Autumn/Winter 2009
OPPOSITE BOTTOM Michelberger
A.K. Weve expanded. The
Hotel Studio, beer fridge, 2010
design studio consists of five
people. Weve done a few side TOP Exterior signage,
projects. For example, the Michelberger Hotel, Berlin,
drinks that Tom mentioned, 2009. Photo by James Pfaff,
2009
the original idea came from
them. My job was to bring the BOTTOM Michelberger Hotel
product to life through pack- Studio, Music Machine poster,
aging design, marketing and 2009
CULTURE
online [promotion]. That took a lot of time. On a day-
to-day basis, every time we have a concert we make
a poster. The maps. The signage. The bar menu
changes every six to eight months. Chalkboards. So
there is the ongoing general hotel work and there
is also this different work. The hotel is the heart of
everything. If we dont have the hotel, we dont have
anything. We have to make sure the hotel remains
at the heart of what we do. The trick is to try and not
lose the core of what we were originally.
J.M.V. Do you feel like this is your place for the foresee-
able future?
A.K. It will be interesting when we take the next step.
Im trying to create a studio where it extrudes out.
It will always have a foot in Berlin, but the challenge
will be to create another space. It will organically
grow and develop. Whether it is a hotel or a new
drink or film production, we dont need to compart-
mentalize. Everyone trusts each other so implicitly.
Weve done so much together, proved our strengths
and weaknesses. This is my life. Im in until I drop.
You wont find anything else like this. There is
too much potential, opportunity for the future. We
have freedom. Tom always said that he wanted the
Michelberger to be a platform for people to do what
they want to do. And it is that. It is exactly that.
J.M.V. How did you become involved with this project?
ANJA KNAUER Tom and I were friends. I studied film
and literature at university and I was just finishing.
I was also working as an actress. He talked to me
about this idea for a hotel, and I was very interested
in becoming part of the interior-design team. I had
no experience with interior design, but I liked his
vision and he liked my ideas and approach inspired
by film-set design. Along with Sibylle Oellerich, who
also has a background in film-set design, we worked
with Werner Aisslinger collectively. We didnt study
architecture, so it was a weakness, but it became our
strength in the end.
J.M.V. What was the concept?
A.K. The concept was not having a concept. We didnt
want it to look like a hotel. We wanted furniture and
INTERVIEW
objects with a story to reflect the people in the hotel
and the city, like you would design a room as a set
designer in order to tell something about the people
that live in that room.
We wanted the yard, especially in summer, to
look like typical German Schrebergrten, the little
fenced gardens you find around the city that look
old-fashioned. At the moment, it has this 1970s look,
with flower patterns, potted plants and different
kinds of chairs and huts.
For the lobby, we thought of a living room where
you would like to stay longer, not just waiting to
check in, and where you could have a meetingbut
a long meetingand where you would feel comfort-
able hanging out alone, too. It is supposed to be very
cozy, and we thought of books because they immedi-
ately make things cozy.
We wanted the bar to look like an atelier in the
daytime, like a working space and a simple space to
294 A DIFFERENT KIND OF HOTEL EVOLVES IN BERLIN TOM MICHELBERGER, NADINE MAY, AZAR K AZIMIR AND ANJA KNAUER 295
INTERVIEWED BY JENNIFER M. VOLLAND
think. At night we change the lights and it becomes J.M.V. How did you go about sourcing the furniture and
a proper bar. We thought of it as a place where objects?
Berliners would want to go to instead of the typical
hotel bar that is just for hotel guests.
For the restaurant, we liked the idea of people A.K. In Berlin, although they are dying breed, there
sitting at the same table. There are huge, strong are still a lot of places you can get good and beautiful
tables and tiled walls. The only thing that is different stuff for reasonable prices. There are flea markets all
is the different chairs. We wanted the space to bring over, and antique shops. And if you go into the coun-
people together. Thats what happens at lunch and at tryside a bit, you can find old windows and doors. We
Friday dinners, when we bring out these big pots and had a car and we were driving around getting stuff.
everyone eats together and meets each other.
The styles of the rooms were very much inspired
by Werner Aisslinger. Our concept was a new idea of
room types, from double, to three people, to more,
whether a family or a band. And we wanted to keep
the options open, so even if you get a room for two,
you can bring someone in. We kept the rooms simple
because we thought they should be filled by the
identities and spirit of the people who stay in them,
compared to the public rooms, which show our per-
sonalities. They are basic, with no phones, because
no one uses them anymore. The small rooms have
no cupboards because we thought theyd likely be
used for shorter stays. Now we have more types of
roomsThe Chalet, The Golden One, The Clever
Onebecause we found out people love the individu-
ality. Some people love to have the atmosphere that
is in the lobby in the room.
OPPOSITE Studio Aisslinger,
bar, Michelberger Hotel,
Berlin, 2009. Photo by Karina
Tengberg, 2010
TOP Studio Aisslinger, bar,
Michelberger Hotel, Berlin,
2009. Photo by James Pfaff,
2009
BOTTOM Studio Aisslinger,
Luxus Room, Michelberger
Hotel, Berlin, 2009. Photo by
James Pfaff, 2010
CULTURE
J.M.V. Even after the hotel was complete you stayed on.
A.K. I love the place and the people working here.
It feels like home and there are so many interest-
ing opportunities to work creatively and with a lot
of freedomthats the first reason. Another reason
is because my interior design job never ended. I
thought my job would be finished when we finished
the place. But I really underestimated the heavy use
in a hotel. We built it like a private home. Since we
didnt only think in terms of function and use and
put in so much second-hand furniture and individual
objects, a lot of stuff breaks and gets stolen and these
things are not easily replaced by a mass order.
The whole place is like an organism. It is alive.
When things run away or die, you have to do it
again. At first, I always wanted to capture something.
But then I found out that it was fun to do it new and
all over again.
INTERVIEW
J.M.V. Has your role changed?
A.K. Im still doing everything to do with the interi-
ors from plates to redesigning the rooms. We are
296 A DIFFERENT KIND OF HOTEL EVOLVES IN BERLIN
doing three new suites. One is quite large, sixty
square metres. We have guests wed like to offer an
apartment.
We also recently took over the fourth floor. We
will do the offices. At the moment we are building
fifty lampshades on our own. And before we did
some for the lobby. Its all stuff for the Michelberger.
Im also doing communication. I do the blog,
texting, press, I help market all the new products,
like the coconut water and the booze. I photograph
events. It was always my interest to do something
like this, with my background in film and literature.
I wanted to write. I also like photography. For me it
is perfect because I like to do different things. If we
manage to do our own film production, that would
interest me, too. I feel like anything is possible.
J.M.V. It seems like a democratic and organic process.
A.K. What I think is interesting about the hotel is
that this place is growing with us. You can decide
TOM MICHELBERGER, NADINE MAY, AZAR K AZIMIR AND ANJA KNAUER 297
INTERVIEWED BY JENNIFER M. VOLLAND
where you want to go with the place. For me it is
great to have a creative office where I can go and
make things happen. There is the space to do that.
Everyone has his daily work to do, yes, but if we have
an idea we just do it. As our office is a hotel, there
is also a lot of inspiration coming from the outside.
We have people coming for lunch from all the offices
around us and they can be a part of the process, and
the same with guests. You meet and together these
people move along the path with us.
I feel very lucky. This is not so typical. After all
the stress of opening a hotel, it seemed like there
would be a point when Tom and Nadine would have
wanted to settle down. But this never happens. When
something is done, there is always something else.
OPPOSITE TOP AND BOTTOM Studio
Much of the impulse comes from Tom and Nadine. Aisslinger, Luxus Room,
It is rare to always want to keep moving, but they are Michelberger Hotel, Berlin,
always open to new ideas. 2009. Photo by James Pfaff,
2010
BOTTOM Studio Aisslinger, The
Big One, Michelberger Hotel,
Berlin, 2009. Photo by James
Pfaff, 2010