Another stamp of approval for THDP
All images courtesy of THDP // Photography by Stefan Bunkofer
by Jade French
Cologne is known for gilded medieval churches nestled against post-war reconstruction and big Brauhaus energy. It is a city of rebuilt grandeur, with a skyline dominated by High Gothic impact as the Cathedral comes into view around the dramatic bends of the Rhine. Located beside this historic centre is the Hilton Cologne, converted in 2002 from a postal savings bank building. Now, in 2022, stellar design team THDP has redesigned and refurbished the hotel’s lobby, bar and social space to create Pigeon Post Bar & Eatery.
THDP has a reputation for taking cues from the heritage of the sites they design—and Pigeon Post Bar & Eatery is no exception. That the space once served as a postal savings bank (a landmark building on the famous Marzellenstrasse) allows for local culture and heritage to take centre stage. The building’s story is conveyed through repurposed 1970s German office equipment and light fittings, artworks inspired by typography used in old post offices and the mid-century objets d’art dotted about.
Fuelled by creative curiosity, THDP invest in a narrative approach to hospitality design. At Pigeon Post, art tells the story in communal areas, with screening inspired by typewriter keys and mixed-media artworks using stamp collages, ceramics and digital prints to update the vintage aesthetic with a contemporary twist. The building’s functional past is gestured to in the details: faux marble effects from Dekton and Neolith evoke durability and texture, whilst the signage mimics period-specific post office graphics. An ethos of repurposed materials (through working with local producers and using durable materials) chimes with THDP’s recent Sustainable Manifesto.
Community is an important part of the design concept. In the café, bar, kitchen and co-working space, people are invited to drop in and spend time in these charming surroundings. Mailboxes and writing stands are placed to encourage guests to leave messages to fellow travellers, friends and family—with the hotel then posting them for free.
THDP was a recent winner of the ‘Bar/Club/Lounge: Europe Award’ category in The International Hotel and Property Awards 2022. The team's approach to design and storytelling, which combined the building’s overarching periodic sensibility with beautifully crafted details, proved to be a successful strategy that stayed true to their own ethos.
