Popping up all over the world, intriguing accommodation units compose a varied landscape adapted to any traveling needs. Hotel Het Arresthuis in the historic center of the city of Roermond in the Netherlands is nonetheless interesting – an old prison turned luxury hotel extending over almost a whole city block.
Captured between the world that meant lack of freedom – still visible in the cast iron stairs and landings, prison bars and cell doors – and the luxury of traveling the globe, this hotel creates a curious feeling diluted by the visual and physical comfort of modern design elements. The prison building built back in 1850 went through renovations and extensions before it was re-designed by studio Engelman Architecten. Each room is made of three interconnected prison cells designed as the living room, bedroom and bathroom. Retaining most of its original design, this reshaped building showcases a revived street facade flanked by two new apartment blocks and a new gate. Within the prison complex, the courtyard was reshaped to offer a semi-open space where history and future come together in a successful effort to provide us with a new perception of the spaces we use.
