The French chain B&B Hotels has opened a newly built hotel in the Budget Design category in Magdeburg's city centre, directly across from the Museum of Cultural History. The concept of "stylish design - budget price" has growth potential: within three years, the hotel chain has increased the number of its locations from 85 to more than 140. The occupancy rate at the Magdeburg location is of no concern to the management - after all, Magdeburg and the surrounding area are among the popular "hidden champions" of tourism in Germany.

Guests at the "B&B Hotel"-Magdeburg benefit from a prime city location: They stay with a view of the cathedral and within easy walking distance of the train station and the city centre. In addition to the cathedral and a wide range of cultural events at the four-performing-arts theatre, the Hundertwasserhaus or a contemporary art gallery in the Romanesque monastery "Unser Lieben Frauen" attract visitors to the capital of Saxony-Anhalt.

The facade design of the L-shaped, five-floor building, with its height aligned to the neighbouring residential buildings, is particularly attractive from an architectural point of view. The compact structure is "clad" in an outer skin made of a mixture of plaster and clinker. The clinker brick slips "Glanzstück No. 04" by extrusion specialist Ströher has a distinctly modern appearance due to its slim DF format (240 x 52 mm) and the discreetly iridescent beige surfaces. At the same time, the brick slips, which have uneven edges and a silky matt texture, contrast perfectly with the even plaster surfaces designed in light beige-grey.

The window reveals and lintels demonstrate the unconventional design finesse of the facade with two sides sloping diagonally backwards into the wall opening, following the model of the so-called "jambs" - and through this asymmetry lend the facade not only three-dimensionality, but also suspense.