Ritz Four Seasons Hotel
General Contractor: Vector Mais
Project: Oitoemponto and Openbook
282 Rooms and Pool Bar
Location: Lisbon
With over 60 years of history, the Ritz Four Seasons Lisbon is the most iconic hotel in Portugal. The renovation was carefully thought out to maintain the character of this unit opened in 1959. When highly acclaimed Portuguese architecture studio Oitoemponto was entrusted in 2019 to breathe new life into guest rooms and suites at the Hotel, design duo Artur Miranda and Jacques Bec balked at the idea of modernizing the classic Hotel.
Through close collaboration between the Ritz, Oitoemponto, and Vector Mais, which carefully carried out all the renovation works, it was possible to re-imagining the past for the present, embarking on a journey to evolve the Hotel's roots for 21st-century visitors. This attention to detail is particularly noticeable in the carpentry, the construction of the interior architectural details, and the restoration of most of the original stones in the bathrooms.
The Ritz Four Seasons' new pool bar has been one of the hottest spots at the hotel since its renovation. Designed by Openbook and built by Vector Mais, the space occupies the original circular structure from 1959, having been rehabilitated as a central part of this authentic urban resort. The interior stands out for the use of marble, tiles, and exposed concrete, resulting in a timeless and luminous atmosphere.
“It was fascinating to delve into the history of the Hotel – and realise that its essence hasn’t changed much in 60 years. Not only is it an emblematic architectural piece of 1950s Portugal, but it also remains at the creative forefront of classic meets cutting-edge. The Hotel has always been very sure of itself, so it’s no surprise that it dictated the parameters for this visionary-vintage reincarnation.”
