Locke Hotel at East Side Gallery: A Unique Venue for Creativity and Coexistence

Nestled against Berlin’s storied East Side Gallery, the Locke hotel designed by Grzywinski+Pons is a vibrant blend of history, artistry and modern hospitality. Situated along the longest surviving section of the Berlin Wall, this 176-room hotel goes beyond typical design boundaries, incorporating a café, bar, lounge, co-working areas, and event spaces into a venue that fosters exchange, community, and reflection.

GALLERY

At the heart of Berlin’s Friedrichshain neighbourhood, this former symbol of division is now a cultural crossroads, reflecting a new paradigm for interaction and inclusion. The hotel’s design intentionally plays on this inversion, transforming remnants of repression into a celebration of global artistic expression. Designed as a series of site-specific thresholds, the building explores the interplay between public and private, art and commerce, creating a “microcosm of Berlin” where visibility, circulation, and access are unrestricted. Inspired by the nearby East Side Gallery’s powerful blend of history and artistry, Grzywinski+Pons introduces “neighbourhoods” through fragmented walls and open sightlines, allowing guests and residents alike to traverse this richly layered space.

The Locke’s material choices mirror its ethos, with structural concrete walls and high ceilings giving way to warmer, tactile touches like timber, onyx, and zellige tile at lower eye levels. Open-plan seating, complemented by demi-walls, ombre curtains, and soft lighting, gently compartmentalises the expansive ground floor while maintaining cohesion. Vegetation spills from planters and cascades from above, enhancing the natural ambience.

Guest rooms reflect a thoughtful interplay of privacy and liminality, balancing movement and tranquillity. Facing either the bustling Muhlenstrasse or the serene Spree River, these spaces embody Berlin’s contrasting energies. Grzywinski+Pons designed a “wall-as-threshold” for each room, incorporating practical elements like wardrobes and kitchenettes, as well as aesthetic details like kiln-formed glass that reflects the rippling Spree. Custom furnishings, from turmeric chairs to pastel mirrors, offer warmth and texture while neutral tones unify the décor, celebrating Berlin’s multifaceted spirit.

Locke at East Side Gallery stands as both a haven and a homage to Berlin’s complex legacy, inviting guests to participate in a uniquely immersive experience where past and present converge seamlessly.

Images by Nicolas Worley via ArchDaily