After the success of their ‘zero star’ hotel rooms in picturesque outdoor locations, hotelier Daniel Charbonnier and Swiss concept artists Frank and Patrik Riklin are back with something very different. And this time it’s less than idyllic.
The Null Stern hotel rooms we’ve seen in the past have been located in meadows, overlooking the Rhone Valley, surrounded by mountains, and set between vineyards. The project has offered guests a completely different hotel experience, away from technology and mod cons, where they can sleep under the (real) stars and get back in touch with nature.
However, the latest addition to the group offers a somewhat different experience. Contrary to the existing suites that provide a space for rest and quiet reflection, the Null Stern suite Anti-Idyllic aims to keep guests awake and as uncomfortable as possible. The unusual location they’ve chosen for this new suite? The side of a busy road on the grounds of a gas station.
Although the ‘anti-idyllic’ concept may at first come across as a radical statement designed to generate headlines, there’s actually a lot more to it.
Those who stay in the hotel are invited to leave a piece of paper under their pillow upon their departure, detailing any ideas, thoughts, or fears that came to them in the night. According to the organizers, it is hoped that these musings can then be gathered together to inspire real action on the ground.
‘A stay at the anti-idyllic suite invites you to think in an unconventional way, it is an investment in yourself and in your own reflections,’ say the artists. ‘Big changes can start with a small thought.’
The anti-idyllic suite functions as a mirror to society, communicating the message that now is not the time to sleep. Now is the time to face the issues, think hard about the solutions, so that we, as a society, can recapture the beauty that lies beyond.
Photo credits:
© Gianluca Colla
© Mario Scialdone