"A project is first and foremost a meeting", tells us the architectural duo Feast, made up of Charlotte de Tonnac and Hugo Sauzay. In this case, they refer to theirs with another couple, the one formed by Louis and Anouk Solanet , of orso hotels, who called them to revive the mythical hotel Rochechouart, in pigalle, Paris, which reopened its doors in October 2020.
“It was a key place in ‘les années folles’ (the roaring 20s), between art nouveau and art deco, with an unusual size in Paris”, explain the architects of the Rochechouart hotel, whose portfolio includes the precious and modernist Hotel Les Roches Rouges, on the Blue Coast. They always try to be inspired by the context of each place, and here they found a good amount of ideas when researching.
“We don't make designs for no reason, we try to carry out coherent projects and create atmospheres, not fashionable places. Art Deco is a very rich movement, which offers various inspirations, from geometry to orientalism.
The architectural duo Festen.
This neighborhood was that of the artists and lived a moment of great apogee, with personalities like Josephine Baker among the guests of the hotel. We wanted to pay homage to this past and we took the time to work in that festive atmosphere and create a timeless place, a classic.
We use natural and noble materials, of those that acquire patina: varnished wood, rough marble, aged brass. The color palette was very important: deep, muted colors such as bronze green, old yellow or terracotta, as well as a straw tone on the walls and decorative paint (imitating marble, for example)”.
Window to the Pigalle neighborhood.
Custom furniture was designed, such as the velvet seats; there are alabaster sconces by Pierre Chareau and vintage pieces in the lobby, and artist Tiffany Bouelle conceived abstract works for brasserie and the rooms.
"The Galerie Française it also helped us find collages, old photographs and watercolours”, add Charlotte and Hugo. The project lasted more than two years, due to the considerable size of the building, which has more than 100 rooms. “The hardest part was customizing each one. And work on the brasserie has been exciting: for the mosaic Restoration, for example, and, at the same time, due to the need to rethink the concept, also emblematic of the city”.
Room 706.
The couple travel regularly "for pleasure and inspiration," and Japan is one of your destinations favorites: “There the ancient culture and traditions are mixed with extreme modernity, and we never get tired of the food!”
"We also have very good memory of Sri Lanka, where we discover the work of Geoffrey Bawa, an extraordinary local architect”. They usually look for corners full of history and stay in private homes or family hotels. Among his favorites is The Colombe d'Or, in St-Paul de Vence, “for its swimming pool, with a Calder sculpture, and its old-fashioned family atmosphere.
The Hotel's Brasserie.
We also find the old school atmosphere in the Peponi Hotel in Lamu, Kenya, which is the nerve center of the city”. What makes a hotel perfect for them? "The environment and above all, the service, which is crucial for a good stay”, they maintain and, despite the current situation, they are optimistic.
“The current period is difficult, but we believe that after this break people will want to travel and discover the world more than ever. Perhaps they will also travel more ethically or consciously and see things in a different way.”
This report was published in number 147 of Condé Nast Traveler Magazine (Summer 2021). Subscribe to the printed edition (€18.00, annual subscription, by calling 902 53 55 57 or from our website). The April issue of Condé Nast Traveler is available in its digital version to enjoy on your preferred device.
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