jaime hayon overhauls barceló hotel interior inside madrid's tallest tower

located inside the symbolic tower of madrid, spanish designer jaime hayon has overhauled the ‘torre madrid hotel’. the completed hotel interior is comprised across nine floors and embraces the history and culture of spain and at the same time, pairs past influences with an elegant design that unifies traditional grandeur and a modern approach.

entering the lobby, an enormous sculpture of a striped bear is a surreal nod to the madrid coat of arms
all images © KlunderBie

as guests enter the lobby, an enormous sculpture of a bear painted in zebra stripes tips his large brass top hat in welcome, a humorous nod to the coat of arms of the city of madrid but also uniquely jaime hayon in its playful and sophisticated execution. a rich color scheme of jewel-like tones and finishes is reminiscent of the arabic and moorish influences that is a recurrent aspect seen throughout spain. these details are complemented with roman arches and the choice of furniture including hayon’s own design collaborations with &tradition, cassina and gubi.

curves of the sofa and chairs, the subtly elegant lighting instills hayon’s playful style

‘I was fully dedicated to the creation of a very special and unique space that would represent a new vision of spain, a vision far from the traditional aesthetic, aside from being my hometown, for me madrid represents spain’s diversity and richness.’ – jaime hayon

main spaces inside the ‘torre madrid hotel‘ include the ‘garra bar’; the cosmopolitan destination features romanesque arches and face out to the city through windows illustrated with emblems rendered as brass drawings. to continue the playful nature of hayon’s style, small sculptures, masks, cartoon characters popular the public spaces and hallways, while framed artwork adds a sense of mystery and nod to spanish culture.

the hotel is located inside the tower which dates back to 1957