JAM Hotel Ghent
An Artists’ Atelier Inside a Historic Military Barracks
Why DNA Hotels Loves It
● A remarkable adaptive reuse project that transforms a former military barracks into one of Europe’s most creative design hotels.
● An extraordinary collaboration between Studio Lionel Jadot and more than forty local artists, designers, and makers.
● A living example of circular design, where reclaimed materials, craftsmanship, and creativity shape every space.
From Barracks to Creative Community
JAM Hotel Ghent proves that the most inspiring hotels begin with the stories already embedded in their walls. Occupying the former gatehouse of the early twentieth-century Leopold Barracks in Ghent’s Arts Quarter, the 108-room hotel embraces the building’s military heritage rather than disguising it. Thick masonry walls, weathered plaster, exposed brick, battlements, and original structural elements remain proudly visible, allowing the building’s history to become part of the guest experience. The architecture hasn’t been erased. It’s been given a new purpose.
The Realistic Circle
Designed by Studio Lionel Jadot, the interiors are built around the studio’s Realistic Circle philosophy. Instead of introducing entirely new materials, existing elements uncovered during restoration were reused throughout the hotel. Old roof timbers became flooring and bar cladding, salvaged industrial shelving found new life in the public spaces, and reclaimed furniture sits alongside bespoke pieces created by local craftspeople. Every intervention reflects the belief that good design begins with what already exists. Nothing feels manufactured. Everything has a previous life.
An Atelier Rather Than a Hotel
More than forty designers, artists, and makers from the Ghent region contributed to the interiors. Furniture by Duplex Studio, reclaimed wood pieces by Pierre-Emmanuel Vandeputte, modular bed systems by OpenStructures, mycelium lighting, and handcrafted objects sourced from local workshops create spaces that constantly evolve. The atmosphere feels less like a conventional hotel and more like a shared creative studio where ideas, craftsmanship, and hospitality naturally intersect. Every room tells a different story. Every object has a maker.
Designed to Evolve
Flexibility is central to the concept. Guestrooms feature modular furniture designed for adaptation rather than replacement, while communal areas encourage collaboration through generous worktables, open shelving, informal lounges, and creative gathering spaces. The Kaiju restaurant, rooftop terrace, and artist-in-residence programme reinforce the building’s identity as a cultural destination rather than simply a place to sleep. It’s hospitality built around creativity. Not consumption.
A New Chapter for Ghent
Located in the city’s Arts Quarter, JAM Hotel places guests within easy reach of museums, galleries, independent cafés, and Ghent’s vibrant creative community. Rather than standing apart from its neighbourhood, the hotel actively participates in it, becoming an extension of the city’s artistic life.
Why It Works
JAM Hotel Ghent succeeds because it refuses to separate design from responsibility. Through thoughtful restoration, circular construction, local collaboration, and fearless creativity, it transforms a former military building into a hotel with genuine purpose and unmistakable character. Raw, inventive, and deeply rooted in place, it’s one of Europe’s most compelling examples of adaptive hospitality.
