In the strength and the glory of power, In the pride and the pleasure of wealth(For who dares dispute me my dower Of talents and youth-time and health?), I can laugh at the world and its sages I am greater than seers who are sad, For he is most wise in all ages Who knows how to be glad.
I lift up my eyes to Apollo, The god of the beautiful days, And my spirit soars off like a swallow, And is lost in the light of its rays. Are tou troubled and sad? I beseech you Come out of the shadows of strife Come out in the sun while I teach you The secret of life.
Come out of the world – come above it Up over its crosses and graves, Though the green earth is fair and I love it, We must love it as masters, not slaves. Come up where the dust never rises But only the perfume of flowers And your life shall be glad with surprises Of beautiful hours. Come up where the rare golden wine is Apollo distills in my sight, And your life shall be happy as mine is, And as full of delight.
- Ella Wheeler Wilcox
The Sundukovy Sisters who have a Moscow-based studio combine aspects of the Bauhaus movement together with those of the local Berlin Zoo. They take cues from two completely different directions in their concept and design of the Hotel Pullman Berlin Schweizerhof, located across the southwest corner of the Tiergarten.
The less is more concept, originally coined by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe does not really apply in this hotel, with so many things going on at once. However the newly renovated public areas do hold strong elements of influences from the most peculiar of Germany’s 20th century styles. The Sundukovy Sisters apply in their design the characteristics of the Bauhaus, as well as it’s geometric shapes, but change it’s fundamental aspects with sensational ornaments, luxurious materials and a bright palette.
Breaking between the restrictions of a hotel and a zoo, the talented team of designers bring in a unique variety of zoo objects to add a hint of fantasy and thought into the area. Whether it be a massive zebra placed in the hotel restaurant, or graphic animals hung up in the lobby, the hotel lacks no shortage of texture and bright colors.
The sisters use only the most quality of materials, including marble, copper, leather and onyx to add warmth and the most luxurious feel possible. At the same time, while using these materials they perfectly complement the patterns and colors of the property’s furniture. Extending from the bar to the lobby areas is a spectacular ceiling installation, an LED curtain made by several pendant luminaries which are specially programmed to light up in geometric shapes referencing the patterns found in surfaces throughout the hotel.