Isrotel PUBLICA by Autograph Collection

The Isrotel Publica Marriott Autograph Collection in Herzliya, designed by OBERSON ARCHITECTS, an interdisciplinary architecture and design firm based in Israel, is in the heart of the high-tech area. Catering to the local and international business community, particularly the Millennial Generation, this hotel blends business and leisure, creating spaces where work and social life intersect seamlessly. Guests can work from the top-floor by the pool, in the lobby, or in shared working spaces that double as entertainment centers for the city’s residents. The hotel boasts 160 rooms, a live concert hall, a bar-restaurant with a lobby patio terrace, and a rooftop pool offering cityscape and beachfront views. The fitness club and co-working spaces are accessible to both hotel guests and city residents.

“The biggest advantage of this mixed use is the creation of a vibrant, lucrative, and lively area 24 hours a day,” says Arch. Dana Oberson, founder and lead designer at OBERSON ARCHITECTS.

The design concept emphasizes the collection of people, ideas, items, furniture, and materials to create a homely environment. Rounded seating areas and eclectic designs break away from one-dimensional spaces. “When planning, I consider scale, proportion, light, acoustics, aroma, and appetite,” Oberson explains. “I ask myself what the audience is, what the focal points in each space are, and what the experience should be—peace and introspection, social connection, or something in between.”

The lobby and entrance feature long sightlines to the restaurant and outdoor patio, creating intimate lounge areas furnished with pieces designed by the studio and sourced from global markets. Art objects, both local and international, contribute to the hotel’s unique vibe. Furniture was procured from Amsterdam, Turkey, and various flea markets, while the art pieces suggest a private collection with character and history. In the evening, the lobby transforms into a lounge with a DJ and bar.

“A mix of concrete and terrazzo creates a distinctly Israeli feel, while foreign items add an international touch,” says Oberson. “Vintage carpets, deep green shades, brass, natural iron, and neon combine to give a rusty, smoky atmosphere with intimate sitting areas that feel like home.”

For communal workspaces and lounges, the design intertwines the future and the past. Versailles wood floors, exposed concrete, aluminum nets, Rogue Tin panels, Carrara stone, mesh glass, and a strong blue backdrop complement an art collection inspired by graffiti and street art.

Guest rooms and floor halls draw inspiration from Herzliya’s business center and marina, featuring walnut yacht-like panels, light grey accents, mirrors, wavy glass, and carbon wallpaper. Horizontal lines create a continuous rhythm, while blue and beige, turquoise, and yellow textiles combined with brass lighting fixtures and bedside tables evoke an urban marina’s eclectic atmosphere.

The rooftop pool area, with its black and white deck, thin aluminum mesh, exposed concrete, and Corten steel, reflects the cityscape and beachfront. “Materials that echo the place and time, like the sun and sea, are what I connect to,” says Oberson.

“I love the hotel and felt very liberated in the design process. This freedom depends on the relationship with the entrepreneur and their level of involvement. The result is a hotel that feels more like an art collection than a project,” Oberson concludes.