According to the twin brothers Glantz, the b’mine Frankfurt Airport was designed “from inside out”. Typically, this is the other way around: The interior designers are commissioned to develop their ideas on the basis of an already existing floor plan. The extraordinary freedom of planning in this project made it possible to utilize the space on all 13 floors as efficiently as possible, and to modularly design the rooms. In the b’mine Frankfurt Airport, a layout was realized that Cord Glantz had developed many years ago and that is “ideal-typical” for him: This is about letting a sense of tranquility and vastness emerge also in the smaller rooms. And at the same time, inspire with the appeal of “tiny living”. GEPLAN DESIGN managed to realize many clever ideas like “open” furniture and the zoning of the rooms by means of high-quality textiles and to create an extraordinary feel-good atmosphere. 

The entrée into the Smart Rooms already differs from expectations. A small hallway branches off from the central corridor to the individual Smart Rooms, of which there are 160 in the building. On the 13th floor, there is a high-quality suite, also designed by GEPLAN DESIGN. “This small hallway provides more exclusivity and intimacy. And it is one of the measures to achieve much effect with little means!”, thus the planning duo Glantz. This is typical for the interior designers with their long-term expertise in hotel design.

The door to the Smart Room opens and the eyes immediately wander to the alcove, a completely newly interpreted bed niche directly by the window, partially with a breathtaking view onto the skyline of Frankfurt. “The all-round upholstered bed niche is extremely cozy. We can all remember what it was like in the past, for instance, when as a child one jumped onto the bed and had been looking forward to it all the time. The experience prepared here by us reminds us of those times,” says Cord Glantz. The colors of the upholstery in the niches vary from a cool shade of blue to a soft, natural green, a vitalizing yellowish orange up to an exquisite dark red.

Even if the Smart Room is comparatively small with its 14 square meters, the concept developed by GEPLAN DESIGN alone managed to create an impression of space and a generous feel to the room. The planners know, however, that this is not everything. The human need to withdraw and distance oneself also exists. “And this need should especially be considered in a hotel like the b’mine that understands itself as a temporary home”, the interior designer explains. The ideal solution turned out to be the planning with textile elements: In custom-made curtain rails that were adjusted to the spatial situation, the curtains can be easily moved. The guest can produce the mix of consistent openness and spatial delineation that is perfect for him or her. All rooms were designed according to this principle. The sleeping area can be elegantly separated from the living and bathroom areas; the textile partition also enables the creation of the desired amount of intimacy in the mostly open bathing area. Only WC and the shower build a closed room due to a flush-mounted door integrated into the wall.

Before the brainstorming, the planners put themselves into the guests’ shoes and consider their needs: They arrive, maybe tense and stressed, in the room. Where to put the luggage and the odds and ends for one night?  While the suitcases can be completely pushed under the bed, a few items are easily put up in the deep frame of the illuminated mirror. High-pile throw rugs provide comfort and the furniture designed by GEPLAN DESIGN is “open” and light: here, too, things can be easily stashed away, hung up or draped upon, without the room losing any of its spatial generosity. The highlight, however, is the bed, as the creative duo emphasizes – a comfort and relax zone with a comfortable headboard, integrated electrification and wireless charging for mobile phones.

According to their statement, the hotel group b’mine wants to provide its guests with the individuality of an individual hotel. Thus, the creativity of the interior designers was called for also in the lobby as well as in the conference and event areas. Especially on these large spaces, clever zoning and furnishing is particularly important to create atmosphere. In the conference area on the 11th floor, Cord and Rolf Glantz have designed the furnishings so flexibly that, for instance, a vehicle can be integrated in the room for presentation purposes. As the 11th floor is connected to the CarLift, it offers this extraordinary opportunity of presenting or introducing products. Meanwhile, those present enjoy the breathtaking and unhindered view: to the one side on the skyline of Frankfurt, on the other side on the premises of the airport.

The duo also became active in the lobby: “In the foyer, for instance, we created a beautiful, structured ceiling with the simplest means, which unfolds as soon as the light is turned on,” Cord Glantz reports, and adds: “The skillful use of green plants and light is an important element in interior design for us”. Art, too, contributes its part to the individuality of the rooms. Pola Brändle, the Berlin-based artist, has realized wall-covering collages at the front end of the foyer. Guests are supposed to see, be astonished and be pleased with the unexpected encounter with contemporary works of art. In other houses, too, GEPLAN DESIGN works together with artists, who are regionally or in any other way related to the location.  

Art and functionality are balanced in the b’mine. Cord Glantz emphasizes that next to aesthetics, individuality and comfort factors, it is also important to him to organize spaces efficiently. That planning was as consistent and seamless as possible, not least to enable easy cleaning. “To mention an example: air conditioning and shower heads are integrated flush in the bathrooms. We take care that the surfaces wear out only slowly and over a long period of time, if at all.” In the b’mine, GEPLAN DESIGN points to the use of artificial stone, among others, used for the wall covering in the bathroom areas. On this subject, the interior designer says: “Planning a house in a way that it will remain beautiful for a long period of time and won’t need to be renovated soon, this is what we consider to be our contribution to sustainable planning!”  

• 241 rooms including 40 CarLofts and 1 SkyLoft
• THE ROOF – Fine Dining, Bar & Lounge on the 12th floor with a large 170 m² rooftop view on the airport apron and the Frankfurt skyline
• Event and conference area on the 11th floor with CarLift, 2 terraces
• b'daily - Coffee Shop & Bistro with terrace on the ground floor, view on the airport apron and the skyline of Frankfurt plus event area for up to 500 people in the courtyard
• Wellness & Fitness including sauna and treatments
• Underground car park with 12 charging stations
• Participating companies:
  Maden GmbH, hagenauer GmbH, ROLF BENZ, Brunner GmbH, Klafs

Founded in 2018, b’mine hotels GmbH plans to operate thirty hotels in German and other European destinations by 2030.

With the CarLoft Development GmbH, b’mine hotels GmbH develops architecturally sophisticated lifestyle hotels that are operated under the brand name “b’mine”. These have a differentiating feature from other hotels: Guests have the option to park their vehicles in front of their hotel rooms. For this purpose, the hotels are equipped with CarLifts. For electric cars, wall boxes are available on the CarLoggias. For this outstanding brand and product design, b’mine has already received several awards: in 2019 as the WINNER of the Automotive Brand Contest in the category “Architecture and Events” and in 2020 as the WINNER of the German Design Award 2020, in which the jury appreciated the innovative overall concept in the “Excellent Architecture”.

Together with other project development companies, apart from the b’mine hotels, b’mine hotels GmbH also develops hotels in tourist regions and local recreation areas as well as business destinations in the German-speaking (DACH) countries. In future, these will be operated with independent brands by their own operating companies.

The b’mine hotels GmbH pursues a consistent digitization strategy, ingrates (electric) mobility and sustainability concepts, and offers services at the highest level. With a trendy gastronomy and bar culture as well as attractive rooms for conferences and events, the hotel group offers a b’mine experience at various locations.  

Apart from new openings, the b’mine hotels GmbH also expands by takeovers. In the process, the operating company focuses on top locations with best infrastructure, development perspectives and an added value for guests. Thus, the Jaumann’s Hotel in Cologne has belonged to the Group since January 2020.

“designed, branded & loved”, thus the claim of GEPLAN DESIGN, an internationally acting office for interior design based in Stuttgart. The development of custom-made and distinctive projects, mainly for the hotel industry and gastronomy as well as office and administration buildings are among the specialty of GEPLAN DESIGN. Founded in 1977, the office is managed by the twin brothers Cord und Rolf Glantz today, and employs 25 staff members. Current projects include the Hotel Gut Immenhof in Malente, the VectorAcademy of Vector Informatik GmbH, the Maritim Hotel in Amsterdam (with Reinhardt & Sander GmbH) as well as two Hyatt Centric Hotels in Venice and Milan. In September 2021, GEPLAN DESIGN opened a representation in the HafenCity of Hamburg.