ALA Architects

The new Courtyard by Marriott Hotel with 11 above ground floors is a high-quality addition to the Tampere cityscape. The hotel and its next door neighbor, the Tampere Hall Concert and Congress Centre, comprise a formal yet natural architectural entity. The hotel also strengthens the connection between Tampere Hall and the main building of the University of Tampere on the opposite side of the street.

The hotel tower is located in the corner of Kalevantie and Yliopistonkatu streets, at a respectful distance from the Congress Centre’s main entrance and its foyer opening towards the Sorsapuisto park. The new building redefines the entrance square as a lively urban plaza lined by the public functions of the ground floor. The hotel connects to the foyer of Tampere Hall with an elegant glass-walled indoor passageway.

Functionally the new building is clear and simple. The reception, a 24/7 mini market, a multi-functional restaurant space, a business center and a gym are located by the hotel entrance. The rooms contain all the essential features that business travelers need. The spa-like bathrooms are light and airy. The floor-to-ceiling windows provide the hotel rooms with enticing views of the surrounding cityscape. The guests staying in the rooms located on the upper-most floors will even be able to take in views of the wider urban area.

The facades are made of textured white concrete with vertical grooves of varying depth, which visually links the hotel with Tampere Hall. The selected surface material also acts as a reference to the narrow, vertical white concrete façade elements of the university’s main building.