Case study: a new art chapter for Kulm Hotel St. Moritz

At 1,865 metres above sea level, Kulm Hotel St. Moritz has spent more than 170 years becoming part of the cultural fabric of the Engadin. From its position among the lakes and mountains of St. Moritz, the hotel has welcomed generations of guests – and, over time, built a collection of art that reflects both its history and its distinctive sense of place.

Now, as the hotel embarks on a full-scale renovation as part of the Kulm Masterplan, led by Foster + Partners, that collection is entering a new chapter of its own.

Image credit: Kulm Hotel St. Moritz

Artiq has been appointed to provide long-term art strategy and collection management, working with the Kulm team to understand, preserve and activate the collection as the hotel evolves.

“As Kulm embarks on a multi-million transformation of the hotel, the role of the art collection becomes increasingly important – not only in understanding and preserving our heritage, but also in helping shape the future guest experience,” said Yves Dewaegenaere, Group Brand and Commercial Director, Kulm Group St. Moritz.

The starting point was to understand what was already there. Artiq undertook a comprehensive audit of the collection, photographing, cataloguing and assessing each work to establish its scope, significance and potential. Built up over generations, the collection encompasses works by Jean-Michel Basquiat and Gary Hume, pioneering video installations and a remarkable marble sculpture exploring the relationship between skiing, peace and the surrounding Alpine landscape.

Going beyond an exercise in cataloguing, the collection offers another way of understanding Kulm – its past, its surroundings and the experiences it wants to create for future guests. Art becomes another layer of placemaking: a way of connecting the hotel to its Alpine setting, while giving guests something to discover beyond the architecture, interiors and views,” added Patrick McCrae, Co-Founder, Artiq.

Image credit: : Kulm Hotel St. Moritz

That thinking is central to Artiq’s long-term approach. The ambition was to create a collection that remains active, relevant and capable of evolving with the hotel. Over time, works can be reconsidered, repositioned and introduced in different contexts, allowing familiar spaces to reveal something new and giving returning guests a reason to look again.

For a hotel with such a long history, that sense of discovery is particularly important. A collection should not feel static or overly resolved; it should retain a degree of intrigue. The art can become part of the rhythm of the hotel, subtly changing with it while maintaining a sense of continuity – creating moments that guests may notice immediately, or discover on a return visit.

By bringing structure and strategy to the collection, Artiq is helping Kulm preserve what has accumulated over generations while creating the foundations for what comes next. It is a long-term relationship with the art, rather than a one-off intervention: one that allows the collection to grow, shift and remain meaningful as the hotel enters its next era.

The result is a more considered approach to art within hospitality – where the collection is a thoughtful and active expression of place, heritage and hospitality. At Kulm, Artiq is ensuring that art becomes part of the experience itself: something to encounter, return to and, perhaps, see differently each time.

Artiq is one of our Recommended Suppliers and regularly features in our Supplier News section of the website. If you are interested in becoming one of our Recommended Suppliers, please email Katy Phillips.

Main image credit: Kulm Hotel St. Moritz