At the Hotel Maistra, the lighting conditions vary dramatically from day to night. During the day, large windows flood the interior with sunlight, while in the evening, artificial light illuminates the rooms from within. This creates a completely different focus. Whereas during the day, in keeping with the rhythm of nature, the gaze is drawn outwards, at night the interior becomes a protective shell, where our senses also seek tranquility.

The architecture of Gion Caminada’s Hotel Maistra reflects its diverse functions. The ground floor is bathed in penetrating natural light. The restaurant, reception, lobby, lounge, and library all benefit from the transparent floor plan with its expansive windows on all sides. Through these windows, the Upper Engadine mountains display their impressive colors in the cycles of day and year. In the evenings, even the light-filled ground floor invites contemplation.

The lighting on the ground floor welcomes visitors with a quiet yet scenographically defined sequence. From the outside, on the main street Via Maistra, the large chandeliers draw the eye through the floor-to-ceiling windows and the mesh-like curtains into the interior. The frosted glass cylinders flanking the entrance door further emphasize the invitation to the hotel.

The six grape-shaped chandeliers in the lobby may then evoke an initial sense of wonder. Wonder at the ceiling height, the massive stone columns, the shimmering floral patterns of the textile coffered ceilings, the terrazzo floor, the reception and bar with its curved solid wood partition, the inlaid brass profiles in the floor and furniture, which are echoed in the chandelier rings. Wonder at the atmospheric density created by the uniquely placed spatial objects and proportions.

Above the reception area and in the restaurant, the lighting reaches its climax – a silent, static display of light. Two-tiered chandelier rings of polished brass float crown-like above the tables. Like a sea of ​​candles, these large-scale objects with hundreds of points of light bathe the hotel’s central spaces in a warm, festive atmosphere.

Martin Nievergelt designed the contemporary chandeliers specifically for Caminada’s architecture and meticulously handcrafted them with his team. The grooved borosilicate glass and polished brass rings refract and reflect the golden light in countless facets, lending brilliance to the surfaces, the tableware, and the buffet display. The unconventional arrangement and opening of the brass rings define a distinct space beneath the chandeliers. This circle of light is intended to invite and embrace both visitors and staff. Above the buffet, custom-designed glass and brass cylinders hang suspended, their additive arrangement illuminating and spatially zoning the area.

Chandeliers, as atmospheric decorative objects, help to rhythmize the room. Because their numerous light points and refractions create diffused light, spotlights integrated into the fabric shades enhance the sense of depth and thus a nuanced perception of the space. Where the brightest point guides the eye, the shadows of the room define depth.

The pine-paneled room is illuminated in a deliberately understated, yet no less atmospheric manner. This tall, but rather narrow room was not to be divided by pendant lights, especially considering that both adjoining rooms already feature impressive pendant lights that create a sense of fullness. Thus, the tables are precisely illuminated by oval-shaped ceiling spotlights, while wall lights frame the occupants. The brass wall lights, whose reflector shape is derived from the molding of the pine paneling, were also designed by Martin for this room and textured using hardened steel dies by the blacksmith Moritz Häberling under 80 tons of pressure.