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W Hotels Worldwide, the hotel category buster and industry innovator, will mark its debut in Western Europe later this year with the opening of the new W Barcelona. An avant-garde icon of stunning architecture rising high above the Mediterranean in Spain’s most dynamic and stylish city, W Barcelona is designed by Barcelona-born and world-renowned architect Ricardo Bofill. Known for his architectural creations including the Shiseido headquarters in Tokyo and the headquarters for Cartier and Christian Dior in Paris, Bofill’s projects around the world demonstrate his capacity to act in harmony with different local cultures, combined with his great global competence. With a commanding presence against Barcelona’s stunning waterfront and cityscape, Bofill’s design of W Barcelona was inspired by the sail of a ship, which has led to a local reference of the building as "La Vela” or "The Sail.” Certain to be a landmark in an ambitious urban renewal plan for Barcelona’s coastline, the 26-story, slender, sail-shaped W Barcelona sits perpendicular to the dock, showcasing unprecedented sea and city views from virtually every guest room.
Today, Barcelona City Officials and the City’s Port Authority join Bofill and W Hotels Worldwide in a ceremonial event at the hotel, marking the completion of the building’s iconic tower. Guests will be offered a sneak peek inside W Barcelona, expected to become the W brand’s flagship hotel in Western Europe when it makes its divine debut this fall.
"Barcelona is a mixture of all architectures. We have everything. The most excellent urbanism and the most incredible variation of architecture pieces you can find, from the Roman Walls to the latest modernist icons,” said Ricardo Bofill. "The city is the result of thousands of architects working together for 2000 years. We hope that W Barcelona becomes part of this story.”
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