Ruby Group is ramping up its presence in Stuttgart (Photo: Ruby)

In an eye-catching move, Ruby Group has unveiled plans to open a combined hotel and co-working space at a Stuttgart shopping mall in collaboration with BWK Architekten.

One building, two brands: after extensive renovation, the former Sheraton Frankfurt Airport Hotel & Conference Center will become two hotels.

Ruby Group has a reputation for doing things differently and that is certainly true of its latest venture – a combined hotel and co-working space on the top floor of Gerber Shopping Mall in Stuttgart. We find out more.

Ruby Group eyes 2023 opening

Scheduled to open in the spring of 2023, the new Ruby Hotel in Stuttgart will provide 150 guestrooms in total, while accompanying co-working space Ruby Works will offer approximately 190 workstations across an area of 1,700 sq m. Around 8,000 sq m of retail space will need to be converted for the project, with work scheduled to begin in the autumn of 2021 in collaboration with BWK Architekten.

Michael Patrick Struck, CEO and founder of Ruby Group, said: “As a conversion of former retail space right in the heart of the city, the Gerber project represents a groundbreaking milestone for us. We have created completely new room types for this project, adapted to the challenging floor layouts.

Shopping mall owner hails diversification

Ruby Group’s arrival also promises to usher in an exciting new era for the shopping mall, owned by life and pension assurance company Württembergische Lebensversicherung. Klaus Betz, head of real estate at Württembergische Lebensversicherung, said: “We are delighted that the Gerber shopping mall is increasingly turning into a mixed-use development and indeed is being perceived as such. This is where an attractive building offering local amenities such as retail units and restaurants focusing on quality and sustainability, also accommodates office space and a hotel development.

“The fact that we were able to acquire Ruby is an important milestone in Gerber’s strategic development and a sensible addition to our overall concept. This project means that we are combining more than six types of use in one development which complies with ‘The City of Short Distances’ concept.”