Architecture often draws on the history of a place, translating local narratives into contemporary forms, materials, and spatial experiences. Located in the spa town of Bad Orb near Frankfurt, ALEA RESORT HIDEAWAY follows this approach, taking inspiration from the site's history of salt extraction.
Designed by PLAJER + FRANZ studio, the 5,200 m² hospitality project references the geometry of salt crystals through its architectural language while using lighting solutions from OLEV to shape the atmosphere of its interior spaces. In this interview, architect Alexander Plajer discusses the project's relationship to its context, the design process, and the role of lighting.
The Story
"The ALEA RESORT HIDEAWAY is a contemporary hospitality project in the center of Bad Orb near Frankfurt. The property is situated on a slope and overlooks one of the area's beautiful historic spa parks. In the late 18th century, salt was extracted from brine in Bad Orb, and a graduation tower from that era stands as a wooden structure in the immediate vicinity.
The project presented a challenge. On the one hand, we had to place modern architecture in an established location. The residents had to understand the building and not see it as a foreign body. At the same time, the location's history had to be incorporated.
The result is a modern apartment building with a facade clad in locally sourced grey shell limestone. The modern twist and the historical reference are created by the asymmetrical roof shapes and the white metal cladding of the balconies. Their shape is not only reminiscent of the roof forms of the neighboring buildings, but is also a direct reference to the history of salt mining in this location, namely the shape of salt crystals." Architect Alexander Plajer explains.
For the interior, PLAJER + FRANZ studio envisioned an inviting atmosphere for the 5200 m² resort, using wood on the walls and ceilings throughout. With ceiling heights of up to seven meters, the lighting design became an important part of balancing warmth and functionality.
Lighting the Interior
"We wanted a technical approach to lighting design. OLEV's products stood out from the start with their quality standards and flexibility, especially for ceilings over 5 meters." Architect Alexander Plajer explains.
OLEV's Beam Master Track Zummy spotlights, fitted with a rotating lens to adjust the width of the light beam, enabled the design team to respond to the resort's asymmetrical spaces and create varied lighting conditions throughout the interior. As Mr. Plajer notes:
It wasn't just the design of the luminaires but also their adjustable zoom and focus control function that transformed the space. OLEV proved to be the ideal partner for high-end developments like ALEA RESORT HIDEAWAY. The design and finish of the spotlights are almost too beautiful to be confined to the ceiling.
ALEA RESORT HIDEAWAY has received several international design awards, including the German Design Award 2025 Excellent Architecture, Kyoto Design Award 2024 Environment, BIG SEE Architecture Award 2025, Urban Design & Architecture Design Awards 2025 Hospitality Architecture GOLD, and DNA Paris Design Awards 2025 Architecture Hospitality.
