Jean-Michel Wilmotte says it was 'imperative' to preserve the identity of L’Hôtel Lutetia in its renovation
Jean-Michel Wilmotte, the architect behind the renovation of L’Hôtel Lutetia, Paris has said that in redesigning the famous Left Bank hotel it was “imperative to preserve and enhance its identity”.
The hotel was originally built in 1910 by Le Bon Marché creators the Boucicaut family to accompany that department store. It closed in April 2014 to begin its renovation process after Wilmotte had won the competition to redesign it.
The total number of rooms has dropped from 233 to 184 as Wilmotte has “totally remodelled the space layout”. The hotel now has 47 suites and seven signature suites.
On the ground floor, Wilmotte and his team have built an open-air garden for the “daylight it generates” as well as the “outdoor space it creates”, according to the architect.
However, most of the changes made have been far more subtle and have exposed original elements. For instance, the team scraped away dozens of layers of paint and came across “high quality” frescoes. They decided to clear and scrape them and they can now be found fully restored. The team also found a series of friezes and bas-reliefs in the lobby and highlighted them.
Wilmotte has redesigned the interior to keep a sense of the Art Nouveau/Art Deco crossover period in which the hotel was originally conceived, but has looked to “bring in the 21st Century” to the interior’s aesthetic.
Many of the hotel’s interiors were custom designed – including glass sconces, floor and wall treatments, door handles, wash basins, faucets and lighting fixtures.
Every piece of technology in the rooms is fully integrated and can be managed by a dashboard outside the rooms.
Wilmotte said of the whole renovation process: “A new life is ready to unfold here, and it is good to see all these layers coming into view. From Madame Boucicaut to tomorrow, including General de Gaulle, César, Arman, Yves Saint-Laurent, Sonia Rykiel and all those who have spent time in this place and have left their imprint. It is now up to us to generate the next strata.”
Jean-Michel Wilmotte L’Hôtel Lutetia Paris Le Bon MarchéGoCo Health Innovation City in Sweden plans to lead the world in delivering wellness and new science
Aman sister brand Janu debuts in Tokyo with four-floor urban wellness retreat
€38m geothermal spa and leisure centre to revitalise Croatian city of Bjelovar
Two Santani eco-friendly wellness resorts coming to Oman, partnered with Omran Group
Kerzner shows confidence in its Siro wellness hotel concept, revealing plans to open 100
Ritz-Carlton, Portland unveils skyline spa inspired by unfolding petals of a rose
Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners are just one of the names behind The Emory hotel London and Surrenne private members club
Peninsula Hot Springs unveils AUS$11.7m sister site in Australian outback
IWBI creates WELL for residential programme to inspire healthy living environments
Conrad Orlando unveils water-inspired spa oasis amid billion-dollar Evermore Resort complex
Studio A+ realises striking urban hot springs retreat in China's Shanxi Province
Populous reveals plans for major e-sports arena in Saudi Arabia
Wake The Tiger launches new 1,000sq m expansion
Othership CEO envisions its urban bathhouses in every city in North America
Merlin teams up with Hasbro and Lego to create Peppa Pig experiences
SHA Wellness unveils highly-anticipated Mexico outpost
One&Only One Za’abeel opens in Dubai featuring striking design by Nikken Sekkei
Luxury spa hotel, Calcot Manor, creates new Grain Store health club
'World's largest' indoor ski centre by 10 Design slated to open in 2025
Murrayshall Country Estate awarded planning permission for multi-million-pound spa and leisure centre
Aman's Janu hotel by Pelli Clarke & Partners will have 4,000sq m of wellness space
Therme Group confirms Incheon Golden Harbor location for South Korean wellbeing resort
Universal Studios eyes the UK for first European resort
King of Bhutan unveils masterplan for Mindfulness City, designed by BIG, Arup and Cistri
Rural locations are the next frontier for expansion for the health club sector
Tonik Associates designs new suburban model for high-end Third Space health and wellness club
Aman sister brand Janu launching in Tokyo in 2024 with design by Denniston's Jean-Michel Gathy
The Peninsula London unveils Peter Marino-designed spa inspired by London’s famous parks
First glimpses revealed of Mandarin Oriental, Mayfair's subterranean spa retreat
"Architecture is alive" says Ma Yansong, as Shenzhen art museum opens exhibition showcasing work of MAD Architects
From Nobu Restaurants and Ian Schrager’s latest hotel to Imagination Playgrounds and the set design for The Rocky Horror Show, US architect and designer David Rockwell always keeps it fresh. He tells us the secrets of his creativity