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Recuperating Cassiano Branco''s original design |
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Hotel Britania, the former Hotel do Império, recuperates its forties atmosphere.
Hotel Britania, which forms part of the Hoteis Heritage Lisboa chain, has just concluded restoration work that will breathe new life into the hotel that was influential on Portuguese tourism of the 1940's, as a symbol of modernity and quality. Hotel Britania, previously called Hotel do Império, was designed by the architect Cassiano Branco and was a revelation at the time due to its imposing building, the comfort it offered and the art deco decoration that gave it a modern touch and made it a unique benchmark of the Portuguese tourist industry.
Hotel Britania has now gone back to its roots sixty years after its construction, thanks to the restoration work that has been carried out on both the flooring and the furniture, returning it to its previous modernist/art deco style. The cork tile floor with its geometric patterns has been returned. This floor was responsible for the creation of an environment steeped in comfort, safety and well-being. The furniture was restored to its original design, a fact proving that the Hotel Britania has always invested in quality material. The descriptive plan of Cassiano Branco's project as well as the photographs published in the forties press were used as a source for the restoration work.
This refurbishment signifies a significant step forward towards the recreation of the Hotel do Império: its origins, its spirit and its unique place in the Portuguese hotel industry. Thus the hotel combines tradition with modernity, in an interesting mix of the colours and atmosphere of the 1940's with modern technology.
A different phase of restoration of the Hotel Britania was completed in 1997. That work focuses primarily on the building's architecture. The restoration work was awarded an honourable mention by the Eugénio dos Santos Municipal Awards. |
