From historic icon to luxury hotel

The Drechsler Palace, an icon of Budapest’s architectural heritage built between 1883 and 1885 by Ödön Lechner and Gyula Pártos, marked an important step in the evolution towards Hungarian Art Nouveau while drawing inspiration from the French Neo-Renaissance style. Lechner, a pioneer of modern Hungarian architecture, was the first to introduce the Zsolnay ceramic motifs that later became his hallmark. Strategically located opposite the Opera House, the building – now a UNESCO World Heritage Site – has witnessed a century of transformations. Originally a residential complex used by the MÁV Railway Pension Institute, it later became a celebrated café frequented by leading cultural figures, then from 1951 to 2002 housed the prestigious Hungarian State Ballet Academy. After two decades of neglect that put its survival at risk, the building has now been given a new lease of life.

The €40 million conservative restoration project was awarded to the Hungarian architecture firm Bánáti-Hartvig and London-based interior design consultancy Bowler James Brindley for QPR Properties Qatar, who were tasked with transforming the building into a hotel with 106 rooms and 45 luxury suites through precise, carefully considered architectural solutions. Highlights included a glass roof over the inner courtyard, a hyperbolic/parabolic tensioned membrane that integrates harmoniously with Lechner’s architecture, and a new fifth floor in the attic with triangular skylights inspired by Lechner’s Zsolnay ceramic motifs.

Ceramic tiles from Atlas Concorde, certified to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 17889-1 standards, were the aesthetic and functional highlights of the project, combining beauty with environmental sustainability. Their Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) confirm their low environmental impact throughout their entire life cycle, helping them attain international certifications such as LEED, BREEAM and DGNB. But the 7,500 square metres of ceramic tiles are more than just surface coverings: they are works of art that transform any space into a theatre of emotions, adding both beauty and environmental performance to interior design projects.

In the bathrooms of the 151 guest rooms, the Marvel Dream and Marvel Shine collections reinterpret the Italian marble tradition in porcelain stoneware. Marvel Dream Black Atlantis, with its deep black background, luminous veining and contemporary marble effect, was used to create striking checkerboard patterns, each tile a fragment of visual poetry. The contrast with Marvel Shine Statuario Supremo, a pure white with subtle grey veining, creates optical effects that transform spaces into endless galleries of reflections. Italian porcelain stoneware technology reinterprets and surpasses the functional limitations of traditional marble. In the Nightingale by Beefbar restaurant, Marvel Shine Statuario Supremo slabs form a luminous carpet that complements the Asian fusion cuisine while ensuring the highest standards of hygiene and without sacrificing aesthetics. These ceramic surfaces create a visual link between historic spaces and contemporary additions and demonstrate the exceptional versatility of Italian-made products.

Bowler James Brindley’s concept symbolically unites Buda and Pest through the use of golden metal meshes and a palette inspired by Hungarian cultural icons: the glamour of Zsa Zsa Gabor, the illusions of Houdini and the grace of ballet. The success of the W Budapest Hotel, operated by Marriott International and winner of first place in the FIABCI 2025 awards, shows how Italian ceramics can help preserve and enhance Europe’s architectural heritage, creating a bridge between tradition and modernity.