Constructed for Cevisama 2025, Hotel Cevisama was a space designed by renowned architect Héctor Ruiz-Velázquez that vindicated the use of ceramic in contract projects. 

The 800m² mega installation brought together over 50 brands.  

It showcased a concept hotel based on the Mediterranean lifestyle – but one that is also more open, more connected and 100% finished with ceramic.  

The essence of the project was to showcase the future while reflecting on the past. It focussed on the practical use of ceramic in commercial wellness and hospitality spaces.  

The hotel dazzled with innovative design, translucent panels, swimming pools, a Mediterranean palm grove and two suites: one Arab-inspired, the other Japanese-inspired. 

Renowned Puerto Rico-born architect, Héctor Ruiz-Velázquez, (pictured here with Marlene van Rooyen) designed the unique installation.

Unique installation 

A huge oval arch led to a bright hall where the Hotel Cevisama logo, made of ceramic, welcomed visitors to the installation. The goal was to recognise ceramic tiles and bathroom equipment as fashion items and versatile materials for contract businesses. 

It was envisaged as a retreat in a visionary architectural form that blends sustainability, innovative design and a human-centred approach.  

Subtitled “The Mediterranean: Land, light, air and life”, the design re-interpreted contemporary hotel facilities, referencing the value of human rituals as part of the experience of staying in a hotel. 

Media in Africa Editor in Chief, Marlene van Rooyen standing in the distinctive oval arch of the Hotel Cevisama.

Wellness and zen 

The design sought to make the public spaces more than mere areas through which people pass, but rather an integral part of the immediate community.  

As a key material, ceramic was a bridge between the inside and the outside, merging both environments naturally. The hanging gardens and green spaces added a touch of tranquillity and a connection with nature. 

The swimming pool and spa zone, surrounded by a Mediterranean palm grove, connected harmoniously with the interior of the building. It created a flow that stretched through the hotel’s reception areas and corridors.  

Ceramic tiles linked the guest area and the conference block to the north, exposing the relationship between the internal and external spaces.

Inspired suites 

The hotel offered two innovative, unique suite designs:  

• The Essence Suite was a revolutionary concept in which ceramic was the space’s “skin”, covering both the floor and the walls, instead of being limited to ‘wet spaces.’ 

Inspired by Arab culture and Japanese minimalism, creating a refuge  that celebrates the connection with the earth and nature. The atmosphere fostered relaxation and well-being.  

The natural way in which temperatures are regulated means it is sustainable from an energy perspective and promoted guests’ physical and mental well-being. 

The Essence Suite was organised in four planes, playing with light and shadow, in a fluid space that invited relaxation.

• The Sensu Suite offered a unique experience of flexibility and customisation, inspired by Japanese Sensu fans.  

The minimalist design fuses traditional and modern elements. Translucent textile panels meant that guests could alter the space to suit their needs and wishes, creating different configurations that suit every moment. 

It is a sensory refuge, balancing the ethereal and the tangible, emphasizing versatility and an emotional connection with the environment.  

The ceramic base of the Sensu Suite covers the floors and runs up the walls, providing solidity and connection to the earth, creating a balance between the ethereal and tangible.

Multiple contributors 

The Hotel Cevisama installation was supported and promoted by the Valencia Regional Government, through the vice-president’s office and the Ministry for Social Services, Equality and Housing. 

The design of the Hotel Cevisama combined organic and geometric shapes.

The collection of 50 Cevisama exhibitors was hand selected by the Héctor Ruiz-Velázquez and his team to participate in this construction. 

“Hotel Cevisama is a striking architectural icon that innovatively combines organic and geometric shapes in a design that promises to symbolise the fair, melding aesthetics and functionality in a unique experience.” – Héctor Ruiz-Velázquez 

Full acknowledgement and thanks go to https://cevisama.feriavalencia.com/en/ for the information in this article. Photography credit: Marcos Soria and Marlene van Rooyen