ATLANTA is the conversion of a 21-room hotel into eight residential apartments, with a focus on sustainability and respect for its historic character.
In Hotel Atlanta, 2025 – located on the corner of Koninginnelaan and Parijsstraat in Middelkerke – past and future come together in a redevelopment project designed by VIVA Architecture. The project embodies the moment when form, meaning and experience merge in harmonious balance.
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The original 1930s hotel, designed by Auguste Vereecke, features unmistakable elements of Art Deco and the ‘New Objectivity’ movement. The façade and several interior elements, including the staircase, are listed heritage. After years of vacancy, a thorough restoration was essential. The challenge lay in preserving its historical value while transforming 21 hotel rooms into eight contemporary dwellings – a delicate balancing act carried out with care and respect.
Due to the coastal construction boom, the building had become almost invisible in the streetscape, overshadowed by surrounding high-rise structures. After consultation with the Flemish Heritage Agency, it was decided to give the building a more prominent presence once again through a setback rooftop extension. VIVA opted for a lightweight CLT structure to avoid compromising stability, with a mirrored glass finish to create visual lightness. The rounded forms deliberately reference the Art Deco style.
In the existing building, all exterior joinery was replaced, except for the carefully restored front door and shutters. To preserve the original rhythm of the façade, new recessed terraces were introduced, giving the apartments the character of loggias. Inside, walnut timber, coloured tiles, curved lines and subtle lighting evoke the 1930s, combined with mirrored surfaces and pastel tones for a fresh, contemporary touch.
The stairwell forms the soul of the building – a place where the bustle of daily life gives way to a calming atmosphere. The wooden staircase and landings were carefully restored, with new floor boards were intentionally left recognisable as contemporary additions: a tangible metaphor for time and renewal. Original elements such as doors and floors are combined with new details in walnut, textile wallcovering and ceramic tiles.
While the doors, floor tiles and staircase are original, new elements have been added, including the walnut letterboxes and the wall panelling with textile wallcovering. At the top of the stairwell, the original skylight was preserved. To enable the rooftop extension, the glazed structure was refitted with artificial lighting to mimic the original sunlight effect. Throughout the project, VIVA sought a thoughtful balance between original features and new interventions.
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