Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon Brings Christmas Magic to the Lobby with an Art Intervention by Studio Astolfi That Celebrates Life Behind the City’s Windows

The most festive season of the year welcomes EYES WIDE OPEN to the lobby of Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon, an art intervention crafted by the creative minds behind Studio Astolfi, an installation that celebrates life behind the city’s windows. This towering 2-metre (6.5 foot), 360-degree intervention is bound to spark guest and local curiosity when they step inside the lobby of the iconic Lisbon hotel during the Christmas season in search of magical moments.

Guilherme Costa, General Manager at Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon, explains why Studio Astolfi was the perfect fit for this year’s Christmas intervention: “Joana’s work has a particular focus on history and narrative, and this is important for our iconic hotel with 60+ years of history. I’m a fan of her work and always stop outside the windows of Hermès in Chiado to explore the detailed displays and the stories she tells. I also respect her profound sensitivity to each place’s evolving identity. I’m excited to see her EYES WIDE OPEN inviting guests to explore her vision for the Hotel’s holiday season.”

Traditional Afternoon Tea has also been given a festive twist by Executive Pastry Chef Diogo Lopes, and families and friends can enjoy their tea inspired by the festive décor in the spectacular surroundings of the Almada Negreiros Lounge.

The concept, which was entirely designed and built by Studio Astolfi, takes shape as a residential building with 26 windows, 18 of which recreate situations that can be looked at, spied on and uncovered by the wide-open eyes of those who explore not knowing exactly what they’re going to find. “During Christmas time, the thing I love doing the most is walking around Lisbon and looking through windows. I usually end up spotting a decorated tree, warm lights, and people hanging out. It’s a time of the year that makes me want to look up a lot and see life happening behind the windows,” says Joana Astolfi, art director of Studio Astolfi.

EYES WIDE OPEN tells the stories of the characters inhabiting this very special building. The different scenes from their daily lives reveal unexpected and cosy moments. There is also an aeroplane hanging from the lobby’s skylight and carrying — though no one knows exactly where — a Christmas tree, a symbol of the “city’s multicultural interchange” that tops off this magical portrait.

Most of the pieces and objects seen in this intervention were sourced at the Dolls Hospital (Praça da Figueira, Lisbon), one of Joana Astolfi’s favourite places to explore different worlds occupied by these miniature characters. Many of them were custom-made for this art intervention, as well as painted and modified by Studio Astolfi’s team of artisans — a project genuinely built from scratch with the utmost precision and craftsmanship.

In addition to the EYES WIDE OPEN intervention, Studio Astolfi was challenged to decorate the Christmas tree displayed at the Hotel’s Almada Negreiros Lounge, inspired by the same modus operandi the studio has been showing since day one. Studio Astolfi introduces the idea of ornamenting the tree with everyday life objects scattered all over the 6-metre-high (20 foot) tree, which were painted with different hues of the same neutral colour. “It’s a huge collection of objects that are part of our lives throughout the year, and the idea follows the same theme we bring forward in our interventions: voyeurism, the act of searching for something, and also a bit of nonsense,” Joana Astolfi explains.

The EYES WIDE OPEN art intervention and the Christmas tree will be available for viewing during the holiday season until January 6, 2023.

Festive Afternoon Tea

During the Christmas season, traditional Afternoon Tea in the Almada Negreiros Lounge will be given a festive twist. Guests can enjoy delicate finger sandwiches, delicious mouth-watering Christmas-themed pastries, freshly made scones with clotted cream and homemade strawberry preserve prepared by Executive Pastry Chef Diogo Lopes and a choice of different types of loose-leaf tea, including brews from the Azores Islands.

• Price: EUR 55 per person
• Venue: Almada Negreiros Lounge

Book ahead by calling + 351 21 381 1400.