Hotel Mercure Debrecen

The hotel in the city centre of Debrecen brings a fresh look to its surroundings with its openness and intriguing volumes so it is not surprising that the city considers it a major symbol of development.

Alongside the iconic protected buildings of the city of Debrecen right next to Hotel Aranybika and the Reformed Great Church Hotel Mercure has opened its gates. The high quality four star hotel has been a long awaited investment to suit the needs of the increasing number of tourists and business visitors arriving to the dynamically developing city.

The construction site was appointed behind the renowned Hotel Aranybika, on a highly derelict vacant lot.  The three plots finally added up to a total of 3400m2 complete site coverage where the building regulations requested developments in unbroken row. The concept of the urban development was to open the block with pedestrian passageways so as to continue the friendly city atmosphere of Piac street.

The shape of the building defined by the architectural concept suits the needs of the unbroken city block requirement but dissolves its grave, orderly style at the same time.  The street floor area was handled as a loose space without borders, which was separated from the superstructure by a large inwrought slab. This flat roof balances the four floor high volume of the hotel rooms curling among the neighbouring firewalls creating a unique composition like a brim of a hat. The horizontal inwrought patterns of the flat roof are repeated by the punched openings on the facade generating a stunning view from all angles. The sidelong lines of the windows and the frame structure further enhance the dynamic impression. Due to its unusual volumes the building does not only provide two well designed facades toward the street and the inner side of the block but offers a spectacular top view perspective as well.

The U shape of the building embraces a small empty space, which dissolves the rigidness of the unbroken development while connecting it with the street. The entrance is from this partly covered square like area. The street floor areas on the ground floor are separated from the street with glass walls blurring the boundaries of inside and out.  The curtain walls on the corners are rounded creating intimate spaces inside and outside alike. Entering the building there is the reception, the lobby and the lounge in one common space. There is also a restaurant with a capacity of 120 guests and a similar size conference hall too. Servicing functions such as the kitchen, storage rooms and staff area are in the north side of the ground floor zone with a separate entrance from the backyard. On the east side of the building there is a new passageway that reveals the inner side of the block from the direction of Bajcsy-Zsilinszky street. On the west of the property line a fine restaurant terrace opens towards to pedestrian areas. The bustling, open ground floor areas are covered by a distinctive inwrought slab, which floats nearly over the entire property. Above this flat roof there are 135 hotel rooms and 20 apartments, the interior design of which was inspired by the flower carnival of Debrecen.