Sebastien Segers

The design of the Puerta America Hotel is to be done by star Architects and Designers from around the world. Jean Nouvel draws the facade, John Pawson the entrance lobby, Christian Liaigre the restaurant. Each level is to be thought of by another creator: Zaha Hadid, Norman Foster, Arata Isozaki, etc... Marc Newson and Sébastien Segers handle two Projects: the ground floor bar and the 6th floor.

In the bar a 20 metres long suspended wall ceiling is built with 400 aluminium profiles. These profiles of a 6 millimetres thickness, with an anodised finishing, are laser cut and then assembled mechanically at a distance of 5 centimetres from one another. They bring to the room a feeling of vibrations and of depth and create three niches: the bar and two VIP cubicles. These blades also hide the over looking offices, the lighting fixtures and the mechanical equipment. The bar itself is a true achievement made of a solid block of marble, weighing 6 tons. It is a part of a 30 tons block of Statuario Venato, coming from the Carrare underground quarries. It has been tastefully sculpted so as to reach the final aspect. This is the first time that Segers and Newson have used marble. Since then, they have always praised the exceptional plastic qualities of this material and have used it for several Projects. They have painted the corridors of the level they have decorated with a blood red lacquer recalling both the corridas and intense love. The Feng Shui spirit à définir applied by Sébastien Segers provides a feeling of endless limits: curved and shining walls provide a circulation of the energy, marble edgings reflecting the light strip at the top of the walls. In the guest rooms, luxury

goes along with simplicity. A flexible panelling can allow opening the space and lets the natural light flow into the premises. The bathroom is cladded with statuary marble, the parquet is made of solid oak, the integrated furniture is lacquered (a column houses the minibar, the safe and a desk). The bed and the armchairs, by Marc Newson, are covered with leather.