- Cas Gasi -
Cas Casi library: Coffee table book collection

Cas Gasi boasts a remarkable collection of large format, beautifully bound art books. Usually people refer to them as coffee table books, used to adorn and decorate living rooms the world over. But at Cas Gasi they are so much more. Some volumes have been obviously well loved for many years; they open to favourite pages, many fingertips having caressed their spines.

One such book is the Taschen book Moroccan Interiors. It was used as a reference when Cas Gasi was being transformed from a family home into a luxury boutique hotel. If you look carefully you may spot the inspiration for the shape of the Cas Gasi swimming pool amongst the pages.

Another remarkable book is about the Berggruen Museum in Berlin. Heinz Berggruen was a Jewish art collector who fled Germany in 1936 somehow managing to take is substantial and extremely important collection with him. At the end of the war he returned to his beloved Berlin while most others sought refuge elsewhere. He was a collector in the true sense of the word and was known to start his day by personally greeting each of his paintings. On his death, he generously donated his collection to the city of Berlin. This is a truly extraordinary story about art, resilience and homeland.

Guests who are often authors themselves have gifted many of the books to the hotel. One such gift was from photographer Andreas Gursky. Famous for his large format architectural images which are studies of geometric precision that reveal an irresistible tension between clarity of the images and their meanings.

Another guest, Gert-Rudolf Flick left the hotel his book Missing Masterpieces: Lost Works of Art 1450-1900. It’s a fascinating foray into the colourful people and stories behind some of the art world’s most long-lasting mysteries.

Dagmar von Taube was a treasured guest who left behind her book Berlin Now. It’s one of owner Margaret von Korff most cherished books. Not only is it about one of her favourite cities in the world; it is also a celebration of all the mesmerising people that inhabit the incredible metropolis.

A new favourite gracing the living room table is Marella Agnelli: The Last Swan – a sumptuous look into the life of one of the most glamorous women the world has ever known. Esteemed photographers such as Avedon, Horst, Penn and Doisneau captured gorgeous photos of Marella, her homes, gardens and life.