Philippe Starck is a legendary designer, but his newest project also thrusts him into the literary world in order to create a surreal, literary work of art. The nine-story Maison Heler, nestled in the French town of Metz, is topped by a stunning house reminiscent of the city's 19th-century mansions. The entire space was inspired by Starck's story, “The Meticulous Life of Manfred Heler,” which was published by Allary Éditions.
“Maison Heler was born of a surreal, poetic tale I imagined,” says Starck. “It is a hotel conceived as a habitable work of art, a literary principle crystallized in matter.”
In Starck's tale, the orphaned Manfred Heler lives in a home he inherited from his parents. One day, this space transforms as his house grows upward and suddenly rises into the sky. Through meticulous design, Starck invites visitors into this “home,” which is a hotel with 104 rooms and suites, two restaurants, two bars, and event spaces.
“Maison Heler is a game on uprooted roots,” explains Starck, “a symbolic construction of Lorraine whose historical identities create an inspiring intermediate state, where the houses and their fortress-like allure served as the central soil for this project and the surreal story of its owner Manfred Heler.”
Whimsical objects, photographs, books, and sculptures, some of which can be taken home as souvenirs, give visitors insight into Heler's mind. His love for invention, used to stave off boredom, is also omnipresent, with Starck incoporating the symbols of Heler's invented alphabet as design details.
While seven floors of the building are dedicated to rooms, which are designed as warm, inviting spaces, the rooftop mansion is a sumptuous restaurant with a terrace. La Maison de Manfred is designed as a family dining room, characterized by 19 stained glass windows designed by Starck's daughter, Ara. Known for her stained glass, which she creates using historical techniques, her contributions transform the space.
“This stained glass invites one into the heart of a conceptual and habitable work of art. It creates the atmosphere and theatricalizes the space,” says Starck. “Historical and surrealist symbols of the city’s history are etched into it, the whole coming to life with the rhythm of the light, like a series of anamorphoses intersecting throughout the day.”
In allowing Starck's vision to come to life, Maison Heler is a unique hospitality offering where guests can dive into the world of this fictional character. Part of Hilton's Curio Collection, Maison Heler opened to the public in March 2025 and is now taking bookings.
With Maison Heler, design Philippe Starck has created a surreal, literary work of art in the French city of Metz.
The nine-story hotel, topped by a home reminiscent of the Metz's 19th-century mansions, is inspired by a story Starck penned.
Guests step into the fictional home of Manfred Heler, which is filled with design elements centered around this character.
Seven floors are dedicated to the hotel's 104 rooms and suites, which are designed as warm, inviting spaces.
The rooftop mansion is a sumptuous restaurant and rooftop terrace.
La Maison de Manfred is designed as a family dining room, characterized by 19 stained glass windows designed by Starck's daughter, Ara.
