Villa Pieds Dans L'Eau is a waterside property on the small Corsican island of Cavallo, located in the Strait of Bonifacio. Designed by the architect Savin Couëlle (1929 – 2020), it was constructed over a four-year period in the 1970s, as Corsica and Sardinia became favoured Mediterranean destinations for France and Italy’s smart set.

Tour Savin Couëlle’s organic villa, Villa Pieds Dans L'Eau

Couëlle was the son of architect Jacques Couëlle, who also built in the region, most notably the Cala di Volpe hotel in Sardinia, familiar to cinema fans of the era as a location in the 1977 Bond film, The Spy Who Loved Me. Cavallo also found favour as a cinematic backdrop. It was the location for Marco Ferreri’s 1972 melodrama Liza, starring Catherine Deneuve and Marcello Mastroianni.

On Cavallo, Couëlle had to contend with strict building codes, that included a 4.5m restriction on height and naturalistic planting that screened new buildings from the sea. Taking the landscape as his cue, Couëlle integrated the villa directly into the coastline, incorporating granite outcrops into the design, carving steps directly into the rock and creating a naturalistic series of curved roofs and cave-like openings to frame the sea view.

For sale through Lionard Luxury Real Estate, the villa sprawls for 700 sqm along the sea front, set within a private coastal park of 4,700sqm. All that space has been designed for sharing, with a total of no less than 12 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms, as well as additional staff accommodation, an independent guest house and dock. There’s also a private white sandy beach, offering the direct sea access that gives the house its name.

In keeping with Cavallo’s rules, the house is almost completely invisible from the sea, with monumental masonry carefully spliced between the existing granite rocks. Arranged across multiple level changes, with existing and new planting arranged naturalistically across the site, it offers the new owner an organic and immersive place in nature.

The main living area is dominated by a large chunk of granite, into which the house’s central staircase has been painstakingly carved, as well as a sculptural fireplace. Rough white lime plaster rendered walls twist and turn as they sprout from the tiled floors and rocky surfaces, framing views within and without the space. All windows are bespoke, shaped according to Couëlle’s principles of organic architecture.

The accommodation includes a number of self-contained suites as well as a fully equipped professional kitchen. Shaded sun decks and covered verandas are scattered around the complex, with ever-present sea views and an unrivalled sense of privacy and seclusion.

Pieds Dans L'eau Villa, Cavallo Island, Corsica, €18m through Lionard Luxury Real Estate, Lionard.com

With the arrival of autumn, our thoughts can finally turn to more agreeable prospects: ski season. A snowy Courchevel sounds particularly enticing to those who were never made for the heat. If you're anticipating the layers-worthy weather, here's a little escapism: a new luxury ski residence designed by London studio Spinocchia Freund, the Alpine Chalet in Courchevel.

Developed under the eye of founder and creative director Brigitta Spinocchia Freund, the private residence lies in Courchevel village, embodying the resort's alluring blend of convenience and exclusivity, with ski-in, ski-out access alongside proximity to designer boutiques and Michelin-starred restaurants.

Spanning a dizzying 30,000 sq ft, the chalet exists somewhere between a private home and a five-star hotel. Views are, of course, paramount: the residence occupies an impressive mountainside position looking out across snow-covered forests and surrounding alpine peaks.

Inside, the challenge was to balance scale with warmth, one that Spinocchia Freund strikes through the richness of timber, the earthiness of stone and an abundance of woven details. These are design languages frequently drawn upon in alpine interiors, with wood and stone echoing the mountains beyond. But here, refined detailing elevates proceedings from rustic to elegant.

The layout is zoned between communal areas and private retreats. Chief among the latter is the principal suite, conceived as a private apartment within the chalet, complete with bespoke joinery, handcrafted furnishings and generous dressing rooms. Ten further bedrooms each have their own identity, with bespoke linens and individual vignettes framing the surroundings. This thoughtful lack of uniformity reinforces the sense that this is a private home first and a ‘hotel’ second.

Entertainment and relaxation sit at the heart of the Alpine Chalet experience. A vast dining table anchors the home, a natural gathering point for hearty meals; the stylish bar is made for après-ski drinks; and fireplaces warm several lounges, perfect for unwinding after a day on the slopes. And that's only the beginning – the lower ground floor is devoted entirely to leisure, with a traditional bowling alley, a cinema and a games room complete with vintage arcade machines, alongside wellness facilities including a swimming pool, spa and treatment rooms.

For anyone dreaming of the mountains, it's hard to imagine a more persuasive vision of ski season.

Like the familiarity of your morning jogging route, running-store design sticks to a well-trodden path: a wall of shoes, a jumble of fuel belts and caffeinated goops, and that distinct, fresh-out-of-the-box aroma of synthetic fabrics.

As running has experienced a post-pandemic explosion, though, the culture – and the style– has swiftly evolved. Leading the pack is Paris-based label Satisfy, a running brand known for its routinely sold-out technical apparel as much as its viral marketing activations (say, a mosh pit in the Arizona desert).

This month, Satisfy opened the doors to its first-ever brick-and-mortar storefront in Paris’ historic Marais district. Rather than cashing in on thousands of $140 moth-eaten T-shirts, however, this boutique is selling something else: ‘It’s not really a Satisfy store. It’s Satisfy as a store,’ founder Brice Partouche wrote on Instagram.

To distill Satisfy’s ethos – one driven by performance, design innovation and a winking sense of humour – into an IRL location, Partouche hired Ciguë, a multidisciplinary architecture and design office located just outside of Paris. The firm, founded by three friends in 2003, is known for its innovative takes on tried-and-true typologies, ranging from hotels (see: Ace’s new Athens location) to factories.

‘Satisfy is one of the few brands where we were like, “We should call them,’” Ciguë co-founder Alphonse Sarthout recalls. ‘But Brice called us first.’

Satisfy’s Paris footprint occupies two storefronts on opposite sides of Rue de Saintonge – Supply, which hosts the boutique, and Fuel Station, a pint-sized coffee shop that concocts caffeinated pre- and post-run beverages. ‘The brand has been online for 11 years, and it sells super well, so the main target of the store was not to sell more – it was to sell differently and finally meet the people,’ Sarthout says.

The main store, Satisfy Supply, feels more like an art gallery than a running store. That’s because it’s mostly bare, save for a wall-spanning triptych of the American West by painter Othelo Gervacio. The mural – which depicts rugged buttes and a mustang horse – comes directly from Satisfy’s brand lore, which draws heavily from desert terrain and the kitsch that can accompany it (fringe is a common feature on Satisfy apparel, as are bald eagles). It also serves as Ciguë’s boldest design move: ‘We had the idea of a diorama, like in a museum,’ Sarthout explains.

Against this western backdrop, the designers kept displays to a minimum. Clothing hangs off of suspended stainless steel rods or gridded display racks; shoes are displayed on sculptural wood plinths; and T-shirts are splayed out on custom cast-Zamak alloy slabs, hovering just inches off the ground. ‘So many brands would be like, oh, you kill the strength of the product. How can I buy a $200 T-shirt when it's lying on the floor?’ Sarthout says. ‘But [for us] it's very interesting because it slows down the rhythm of the space – you almost feel like sitting, and bending down to touch the products.’

There are other retail unorthodoxies. For instance, there is a conspicuous absence of explanatory text touting the technical qualities of shoes and clothing; the choice encourages customers to ask questions of sales associates, who underwent months of product knowledge training. ‘It brings back the importance of hosting and the team working there,’ Sarthout says. The same thought went into the changing rooms, which are clad in knotty timber (not unlike an old school diner you might stumble into on Route 66) and feature linen curtains. The store even features a custom scent. ‘It makes you feel like you’re in a luxury fashion store and not in a running store,’ the designer adds.

Satisfy Fuel Station, the coffee bar, has a similarly minimal feel, akin to American gas stations and hardware stores. The idea is for runners and shoppers alike to achieve the coveted endorphin-driven ‘runner’s high’ with hydrating, energising or carb-rich concoctions (the menu is helpfully organised into ‘pre-high’ and ‘post-high’ categories). The western imagery continues on the shiny espresso machine. ‘Here you can just come in, get a drink, and not necessarily buy something [at the store], so it becomes a gathering space,’ Sarthout says. Already, the Fuel Station has become the de facto meeting point for Satisfy’s regular ‘LSD’ club runs – runners'-speak for ‘Long Slow Distances.’

Judging by the queues that regularly form outside the shop, it’s likely that there are more Satisfy locations in store (a spokesperson said the brand is currently exploring opportunities for expansion). And even if Satisfy’s vibe (or price tag) isn’t aligned with your personal running aesthetic, the label is demonstrating a principle that other athletic brands would be wise to note: create community or eat dust.

Twenty years ago, Sofia Coppola’s 2006 film Marie Antoinette was released to a mixed reaction. Some applauded its unusual nature, while others dismissed it. Critics booed the film at Cannes, calling it a superficial, pastel-coloured confection. However, with a major new exhibition at the Petit Trianon inside the Palace of Versailles, running from 22 September 2026 until 24 January 2027, the film is now receiving the ultimate institutional validation. Conceived in close collaboration with the filmmaker and curated by Laurent Salomé, director of the National Museum of the Châteaux of Versailles, and Hélène Delalex, the palace’s chief curator of heritage, the show transforms a once-misunderstood project into a celebrated work of art.

As visitors move through the venue, they encounter a dialogue between real history and cinematic illusion, exploring the Trianon estate as the Queen's personal domain, which Louis XVI gifted to her as a private sanctuary away from the rigid etiquette and intrigue of court. It showcases original production artefacts, including Milena Canonero's costumes and accessories, which won an Oscar for Best Costume Design, offering insight into how the film transcends the traditional, restrained boundaries of period dramas. By emphasising the opulence of the French court, the film also reveals the isolation and performative nature of Marie Antoinette’s life, portraying her existence as a continuous public spectacle.

'I was surprised and excited that the curators wanted to do this exhibit,' Coppola tells Wallpaper*. 'It’s a strange, unique feeling to visit elements of the filmmaking in Marie Antoinette’s actual home, to look at our interpretation of her next to her real busts, with the view of her garden, blurring history and recreation in a way I’ve never seen before. I haven’t worked on an exhibit before, and the curators really invited me and let me set it up, which was amazing to do in the place.'

Stepping inside the ground floor of the Petit Trianon, the intimate space evokes a domestic tranquillity. Unlike other French Queens, such as Catherine de Medici, Marie Antoinette’s historical image carries a lightness of spirit, characterised by fashion, courtly entertainments and pastoral escapism, which were criticised during her lifetime. This exhibition highlights this by presenting the space not as a fixed monument but as an active home.

Coppola's bold aesthetic choices, including decadent visuals paired with a 1980s pop soundtrack, create a juxtaposition between consumerism and historical introspection. The film reflects not only Marie Antoinette’s evolution from a confined teenager to an independent mother amid societal upheaval, but also explores themes of isolation. 'I tried to convey the way they lived and Marie Antoinette’s emotional state and bring the audience into their world instead of looking back as a history lesson. To make it feel tangible and immersive, that you’re there with them. I felt that it could be made with the same playfulness as her follies,' Coppola says.

The retrospective, supported by Cartier, marks a moment of reflection for the institution of Versailles. For Salomé, launching this unique film archive at the palace felt timely, connecting the location’s cinematic legacy with an ambitious curatorial approach. 'It's a very unusual exhibition for us because we don't usually have events like this at the Petit Trianon,' he explains. 'This is the first time we have an exhibition on one film and the making of it.'

Choosing the château was an intentional storytelling decision. 'A lot of the scenes actually made in Versailles were shot in the main palace, but Petit Trianon is completely related to Marie Antoinette,' Salomé says, noting that it became her rural refuge from stiff court etiquette. The exhibit pays homage to the artistry of filmmaking.

The space is filled with visual influences and production artefacts, including diamond jewellery, feathers, and make-up sketches, surrounded by mannequin heads styled with powdered white wigs. On the first floor, mannequins, dressed in Canonero’s elaborate gowns, sit on the original furniture. Salome makes an interesting point about the juxtaposition of new and old. 'The challenge of having film costumes, which of course are not historical 18th-century dresses, is how they work in the actual place where Marie Antoinette lived.' Coppola's film is the only production filmed in this remarkably preserved theatre on the Petit Trianon grounds.

Accompanying the exhibition is the book Making Marie Antoinette, published by Mack and compiled by Coppola's collaborator Andrew Durham, which offers personal insight into the film's creative process. It illustrates daily life on set, juxtaposing historical artistry with contemporary realities such as lavish 18th-century-style wigs alongside modern-day flip phones and ornate gowns worn during cast members' cigarette breaks. This depiction subverts the idealised portrayals of the French monarchy and reveals the genuine camaraderie among the cast and crew, adding depth to the spectacle. Traditional criticisms of the film's anachronisms, such as the appearance of Converse trainers, are addressed, presenting a more nuanced understanding of the film's approach to history and creativity.

'I love Andrew’s photos that capture what it was like on set, and hopefully people who like that film might enjoy this view of it,' Coppola says. 'He captures the actors off set and the mix of period and reality on a film set, them in wigs on their phones or at craft service. I never get jaded about movie magic and the fun of a film set where anything becomes possible.'

Also complementing the exhibition's material archive, Making Marie Antoinette (2026) is an almost 90-minute feature-length documentary being released by Mubi (on 6 November), drawing on 80 hours of behind-the-scenes footage filmed by Sofia Coppola's late mother, Eleanor Coppola. This previously unseen material offers an in-depth look at the film's production and an intimate portrait of the Coppola family, told through Oscar nominee Diane Lane's narration of excerpts from Eleanor's diary. 'It’s cringey for me to see myself as a young director, not yet sure about asserting myself, but I hope it shows how artists develop, and it was touching for me to see this through my mom’s eyes,' Coppola reflects. 'It was such a different time when a female point of view was unusual in film and she shows the pushback and what I was trying to do, which reminds me of that time and how different it was.'

The Versailles exhibition illustrates how the emotional and subjective aspects of a woman's life can go beyond political narratives, and how the story continues to evolve in the public consciousness. 'I tried to make Marie Antoinette human instead of a villain. Antonia Fraser’s biography opened up a new view on her,' Coppola says. 'I can see how, even more these days than when I made it, there’s a lot of pressure on looks, perception and commentary on this.'

'Marie Antoinette by Sofia Coppola', supported by Cartier, is at Petit Trianon inside the Palace of Versailles, running from 22 September 2026 until 24 January 2027

chateauversailles.fr

Making Marie Antoinette book (Important Flowers, 2026) by Andrew Durham, published by MACK, is now available to order. The Making Marie Antoinette documentary is in cinemas in the UK and Ireland from 23rd October 2026 and streaming exclusively on MUBI from 6th November 2026.

Elevated above the banks of the Garonne River in Toulouse, a 1950s house by the architects Bernard Calley and Georges Alet could now be yours. Designed in 1953, the home, now listed for €1,450,000, is brimming with bold colours and modernist architecture curves and layers, which make it stand out in its sleepy suburban context.

Tour this French 1950s house for sale

Situated on stilts on a 615 sq m plot, the house stretches over three levels. It features two interlocking volumes. The first defines its brick façade, with a ship as its obvious inspiration. Two porthole windows add to the composition's maritime references, which continue inside, in the second floor's cabin doors, for example.

The second volume is crisp and white – a nod to the surrounding buildings of Toulouse, a city defined by its ‘O’-shaped layout. With its offset space-age roof, the structure displays influences of the International Style, as the movement pushed the avant-garde away from art deco and towards the familiar midcentury modernism found across France.

The building feels eclectic and intriguing. Across a gangplank-like walkway, the house opens into a spacious entrance that leads to a bright living area with a decorative fireplace. Some original details remain, including a fitted canary-yellow kitchen and an office that overlooks the Garonne River.

A grand marble staircase sits at the core of the house, taking visitors up to a library area and lounge. Also on this level are three bedrooms and a bathroom with a large dressing room.

Venturing away from the marble staircase, another – this time bright red and almost pop-art-inspired – one leads up to the remaining levels. Here, visitors will find a reading nook and two attic bedrooms with porthole openings and skylights.

A ground level that hosts an additional bedroom, a laundry room, and a double garage completes the residence. There is also a motorhome garage leading to a separate, private terrace.

It all comes together to form a striking 1950s house – a finely tuned example of French 20th-century architecture.

Fifties House by Bernard Calley and Georges Alet is exclusively listed for €1,450,000 by Architecture de Collection, a real estate agency specialising in the preservation and promotion of 20th and 21st century architecture. To find out more, visit architecturedecollection.fr.

There are wonders of the world to trek to and bucket-list hotels in which to celebrate life’s milestones. Then there are spa treatments worthy of a transcontinental pilgrimage. As wellness resorts and top hotels compete to create ever more ambitious experiences, the treatment itself has become reason enough to make the trip. From futuristic facials at Paris’ largest hotel spa to site-specific spa safaris in Indonesia and centuries-old purification rituals in Morocco, these are the best spa treatments to travel for.

The best spa treatments around the world

Aman Kyoto

Set at the base of the Higashiyama Mountains, within one of Kyoto’s most serene spa resorts, this three-step Purifying Journey unfolds overlooking the property’s famed Secret Garden. Over 180 minutes, guests experience a Purifying Body Polish & Wrap, Purifying Massage and Purifying Facial. The opening body treatment is designed to encourage lymphatic drainage, using quartz, seaweed-rich fucus oil, raw honey, essential oils and other mineral-rich marine ingredients. The Purifying Massage follows the same intention, while the concluding facial uses brightening pearl and further marine extracts.

Aman Kyoto is located at 1 Okitayama Washimine-cho, Kita Ward, Kyoto, 603-8458, Japan

Ananda In The Himalayas

Ananda in the Himalayas has spent decades establishing itself as a leading authority on destination Ayurvedic wellness. In Ayurveda, the Koshtha is the body’s internal cavity, which houses the digestive and reproductive organs. During this 45-minute Abhyanga massage, a medicated castor oil known as Gadharva-hastadi thailam is applied in movements designed to follow the natural pathways of these systems. Towards the end, steam is directed over the abdomen and pelvis to deepen absorption and encourage circulation. The property’s chief operating officer, Mahesh Natarajan, says the treatment is shaped by years of research and observation, and has become a keystone of its week-long women’s health modules.

Ananda In The Himalayas is located at The Palace Estate, Narendra Nagar, Sakalana, Uttarakhand 249175, India

Lanserhof Sylt

More an immersive seven-day experience than a traditional treatment, Lanserhof’s signature programme, The Cure, has set the gold standard for holistic wellness and longevity for 40 years. Each stay is unique. Its constants are a medical assessment on arrival and a dining programme designed to support gut regeneration, a central component of The Cure. Day to day, a guest’s schedule may encompass treatments, movement, relaxation sessions, lectures, meals and downtime. For some, the on-site team may recommend Inuspheresis or neurofeedback sessions to address sleep issues and other contemporary lifestyle concerns.

Lanserhof Sylt is located at Am Lanserhof 1-8, 25992 List auf Sylt, Germany

NIHI Sumba

True wellness devotees – those regularly texting their energy healer or with standing energy-work reservations – speak of NIHI Sumba with reverence. While the wider resort experience is a coveted adventure in itself, its signature Spa Safari offers a full-day, culturally rich immersion. The fully outdoor experience brings together Sumbanese ritual, indigenous botanicals and equine therapy. Guests arrive by horseback or safari vehicle at an open-air bale overlooking the Indian Ocean, where a series of bespoke Sumbanese rituals might include the signature Sumba 7 Botanical Elixir facial, a volcanic body wrap or a Hydrating Hair Smoothie. All treatments use locally sourced ingredients and conclude with an equine massage: an elevated foot massage surrounded by horses.

NIHI Sumba is located at Hoba Wawi, Wanokaka, West Sumba Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Pendry Newport Beach

Set in Newport Beach, California’s aesthetics mecca, Spa Pendry’s Ultimate Facial is a fully customised, near two-hour treatment with maximalist intent. It is entirely high-tech, save for a glass of Champagne at the end: skin undergoes a series of zips and zaps designed to improve tone and texture, while supporting healthy ageing. The experience includes exfoliation, hydration, microcurrent, LED therapy, cryotherapy and bespoke add-ons such as dermaplaning. Its fans include Orange County’s taut and toned housewives, naturally, as well as Los Angeles’ most plugged-in beauty influencers, for whom the freeway journey may as well be a plane flight.

Pendry Newport Beach is located at 690 Newport Centre Dr, Newport Beach, CA 92660, United States

The Peninsula Paris

The largest hotel spa in Paris may be home to a striking 20-metre subterranean swimming pool, but the savvy skincare set is likely to be drawn to the property’s partnership with Parisian medspa Maison Lutetia, which brings its high-tech philosophy to a traditional luxury spa setting. The partnership’s signature Expert Cellulaire Treatment merges these two worlds through a protocol designed to improve skin metabolism and glow, using a combination of devices and hands-on techniques. A great deal is packed into its 60- or 90-minute sessions: the five-step protocol begins with an Aquapeel and electroporation to enhance absorption, followed by electrostimulation, cryotherapy and thermotherapy, before concluding with LED light therapy. There is no downtime afterwards, so guests can go straight from the spa to dinner.

The Peninsula Paris is located at 19 Av. Kléber, 75116 Paris, France

Royal Mansour Marrakech

A decadent hammam in a design-led spa is a compelling draw at any hotel, wherever it may be, but nothing compares with the real thing in Morocco, using Moroccan-made products. At Le Spa, this contemporary interpretation of the historic ritual begins on a heated marble slab, where guests recline in the humidity to soften the skin before a head-to-toe scrub with a traditional kessa glove and black soap. A cleansing rinse and invigorating cold plunge follow. The full-day hammam experience extends into a spa journey, with a traditional Takhilta hair wrap, facial, massage, lunch, shampoo and blow-dry.

Royal Mansour Marrakech is located at Rue Abou Abbas El Sebti، 40000, Morocco

Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons Resort

Sensei Lanai is one of the few destinations where what happens after the therapist leaves the room is as memorable as the treatment itself. Tucked amid lush tropical grounds, the spa hales that host the property’s treatments can be booked for additional time following almost any solo or couples treatment. Each private, standalone space becomes a personal spa retreat, equipped with an Ofuro bath, infrared sauna, steam shower, outdoor rain shower, soaking tub, plunge pool and generous living area. The hales can also be booked as an evening experience for up to 120 minutes.

Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons Resort is located at 1 Keomoku Highway, Lanai City, HI 96763, United States

SHA Mexico

SHA’s original location outside Madrid has earned a devoted international following for its signature seven-day health-optimisation programme. In 2024, the brand opened a second clinic in Costa Mujeres, Mexico, which this year introduced stem-cell treatments as part of its new Cellular Regeneration Programme. SHA is among the few health-optimisation clinics to offer allogeneic mesenchymal stem-cell (MSC) and exosome therapies authorised by Mexico’s national health regulator, COFEPRIS. An on-site regenerative medicine physician may recommend and administer the treatments, which are available as an add-on to the resort-clinic’s signature four- or seven-day programmes, incorporating diagnostics, biomarker analysis and personalised nutrition.

SHA Mexico is located at Carr. a Punta Sam 84, 77420 Cancún, Q.R., Mexico

A quiet icon of high-tech architecture, La Voile sits on a hillside site above Cap-Ferrat, one of the most desirable spots along France’s Mediterranean coast. Conveniently located between Monaco and Nice, without the sprawl and bustle of either, it’s also a landscape with a long history of avant-garde artistic and architectural associations. Just a short distance down the coast is Eileen Gray’s E-1027 villa, adjoining Le Corbusier’s Cabanon, and classic Belle Époque villas are interspersed with spectacular modernist outposts.

La Voile is one of the latter. Designed in the late 90s by Lord Norman Foster for his own use and constructed between 1999 and 2002, the new house began life as a modest 1950s structure that was expanded and upgraded on an ad-hoc basis as the peninsula grew in status and desirability.

Sited just a stone’s throw from the Four Seasons Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, the plot is near the southernmost tip of the peninsula. It cascades down the hill to the rocky coastline, with unencumbered Mediterranean views.

Foster first became aware of the site in the 90s when he lived in the French village of Grasse. Having acquired the original house, Foster stripped it right back to its core, using the five-storey structure as a framework for a new construction of glass and steel that drinks in the sea views, whilst also extending the accommodation up, down and to the sides.

Strict planning rules prevented an all-new construction, so the project was a masterful exercise in renovation, all done by the book under the watchful eye of the exacting French planning authorities.

The main focal point of the house is the spectacular double-height living space, set behind a 7m-tall sloping wall of glass that in turn is shaded by giant steel brise-soleils. This glazed surface slides open to bring the outside in, with each pane weighing in at around 18 tonnes. The towering rear wall is adorned with a vast mudwork mural by the artist Richard Long, commissioned for the house and created in situ.

A living area on the lowest level is overlooked by a dining room on the mezzanine, flanked by staircases that lead to the upper levels, each with an internal balcony above the inner void. The house’s name, ‘the sail’, comes from the canvas sails held aloft by two large steel arches that rise up from the lowest level and rise up and over the upper floors to shade the house in the summer months.

Four bedrooms are housed in the lowermost level, while the swimming pool is at the uppermost level swimming pool, along with discrete parking, services and the main entrance. Opaque glass walls shield the property from the roadway, giving little indication that a seven-storey structure lies beyond.

After Lord and Lady Foster moved on a few years after completion, the house was sold to the late CEO of Marimekko, Kirsti Paakkanen, and the house is now being sold by her estate.

La Voile, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, guide price €29.5m, Riviera.Savills.fr, @SavillsFrenchRiviera

A weekend in the woods – or indeed, any kind of wilderness – has perennial appeal when it entails a stay in a contemporary or vintage cabin. The humble architectural cabin is as romanticised as it is versatile; it may adapt to different terrains, climates and levels of social battery, but its quirky, pared-back allure remains. Here, from a midcentury gem in Sonoma County to an off-grid red hut set in Irish turf and a treetop hideaway swallowed by the Ecuadorian forest, we’ve handpicked ten cabins for design lovers with a discerning eye and a fondness for a good old wooden refuge.

Book ten of the world’s best architect-designed cabin stays

Cedar + Skye, Sea Ranch Living, California, USA

Twenty-five feet separate the floor from the ceiling in Cedar + Skye’s living room – arguably an extravagant gesture in a cabin built for two. Architect Ralph Matheson designed the midcentury home within Sea Ranch, the northern Californian planned community established in the 1960s, and it now belongs to Sea Ranch Living, The Sea Ranch Lodge’s collection of 13 renovated modernist homes. Downstairs, glass walls surround a freestanding wood stove and a kitchen finished with white quartz, Italian appliances and cerulean glass. Meanwhile, the bedroom occupies an open loft, with an en-suite shower, compact workspace and a skylight trained on the treetops and night sky. Stays include access to Sea Ranch’s recreation centres, private beaches and 50-plus miles of hiking trails.

Cedar + Skye is located within Sea Ranch, Sonoma County, California, USA; rates vary by date

Cucu, WestMeath, Ireland

Cucu is the latest addition to Irish company Samsú’s roster of bijou off-grid cabins. An hour from Dublin, the 20 sq m off-grid shelter occupies 350 acres of County Westmeath countryside, its tapered red form punctured by a single circular window. Studio Bucky, led by Irish architect Alexander Buckeridge, oversaw the architecture, merging a compact timber shell with plywood walls, terracotta tiles and copper details. A custom roll-top copper bath calls for rest and relaxation, while a private sauna extends the bathing ritual outside. The analogue kit supplies a cassette player, film camera, journals, dumb phone and local map; there is also a king-sized bed, wood-burning stove and locally roasted coffee.

Cucu is located on the Meath–Westmeath border, Ireland. Rates: from €225

El Hormiguero, Mindo, Ecuador

From the road, El Hormiguero by Añanku Cabins is a charcoal-black triangle half-swallowed by the ferns of Ecuador’s Andean Chocó. Estudio 2850 and Janna Lasso Hadweh positioned the 24 sq m A-frame on nine steel legs, leaving roots and undergrowth undisturbed beneath its blackened timber, metal and glass shell. The roadside flank cleverly comprises the cabin’s services, including a semi-open shower screened by eucalyptus slats, while the south-west façade faces towards Mindo and the mountains beyond. Stairs, tables and partitions shift to accommodate different uses within the compact interior. Upstairs, a ridge skylight opens the bedroom to the sky and funnels daylight down to the lower level when fog settles over the forest. Birdwatching begins on the charred-timber balcony; waterfalls and butterfly farms are nearby, and central Mindo is a seven-minute walk away.

El Hormiguero is located in Mindo, Pichincha, Ecuador; rates vary by date

JR’s Eco Hut, Nangus, Australia

This solid, A-frame wooden structure, designed by Luke Stanley Architects and located in the rolling hills overlooking the bushlands of south-western Australia, resembles the top half of a Swiss chalet, emerging from a gravel bed. A celebration of off-grid living, the eco hut is intended as a place for dropping out and forgetting the rest of the world, a feat facilitated by panoramic views and congenial midcentury élan, thanks to Anthony Hunt Design’s luxuriously minimal treatment of its airy interior. Solar power runs the lights, gas heats the water, and cooking happens outdoors on a Weber barbecue and twin-burner stove. In winter, the wood-fired tub keeps guests outside after dark; in summer, it becomes a plunge pool. In the morning, expect cockatoos returning to roost and a regional-produce breakfast ready to cook.

JR’s Eco Hut is located at 1214 Nangus Rd, Nangus NSW 2722, Australia; rates vary by date

ÖÖD at Sûr Jumigny, France

Sûr Jumigny pairs two mirrored cabins with two rather older neighbours: a 350-year-old wine cellar and a historic dovecote. The Cave cabin has a private terrace above the cellar, while Pigeonnier turns the dovecote’s chalk-white interior into a cold post-sauna shower. Designed and built by Estonian cabin maker ÖÖD House, the structures stand in a wildflower meadow on an old manor estate at the edge of Champagne. Host Godfrey Hill led the interiors and landscape execution, marrying mirrored glass with limestone, long grass and the estate’s 19th-century buildings. Each cabin sleeps two, with a kitchenette, private terrace, sauna and outdoor shower. Naturally, champagne awaits on arrival.

ÖÖD by Sûr Jumigny, 1 Rue du Jeu de Paume, 02160 Jumigny, France; rates from: €220 per night

Pan Treetop Cabins, Finnskogen, Norway

Moominvalley appears to have taken a detour into Finnskogen, leaving three steep, black cabins among the pines. Norwegian architect Espen Surnevik also borrowed from North American A-frames and electricity pylons, raising each 40 sq m structure eight metres above the forest floor on four supports. The cabins occupy the rocky ground lightly and can be removed without leaving a permanent trace. Each sleeps four to six, with heated floors, a kitchen, fireplace and full-height glazing trained on the birch, spruce and pine outside. Elsewhere, reclaimed barn materials frame a hot tub inside the roofless House with Three Walls. Autumn days can be spent hiking, canoeing and tracking elk (or perhaps elves).

Pan Treetop Cabins is located at Gjesåsen, Åsnes, Finnskogen, Norway. Rates from: £407 per night

Scrubby Bay, New Zealand

Scattered across Banks Peninsula, a rocky Pacific headland of muscular ridges, private coves and grassy hills, Annandale’s collection of spacious villas is the work of architect Andrew Patterson of Pattersons. Of the collection, Scrubby Bay comes closest to the ideal of the New Zealand bach: the cedar-clad villa stretches along the beach, with three sea-view suites, an eight-bed bunk room, a deck with a fire pit and an outdoor spa. Arrival, naturally, is effected by helicopter or a panoramic 40-minute drive along cliff-top farm tracks.

Scrubby Bay is located at Pigeon Bay 7583, New Zealand; rates on request

Skyhawk, Vermont, USA

Skyhawk sits in the woods at the foot of Mount Ascutney, with a bike trail tracing the edge of the property. Catherine and VW Fowlkes of Fowlkes Studio redesigned the midcentury cabin as a four-bedroom retreat for eight, opening the upstairs ceiling to create a lofty gathering room. Original wall boards were reused between exposed joists; rubber floors, caged bulkhead lights and custom steel kitchen furniture add a utilitarian note. Bedrooms swap wardrobes for peg rails and open niches, while a former bedroom serves as a timber-lined boot room. Outside, new Accoya cladding is paired with a large deck, where a built-in bench screens the hot tub. There is no TV, but Mount Ascutney makes a strong case for hiking, snowshoeing and skiing.

Skyhawk is located in West Windsor, Vermont, United States. Rates from: $375 per night (two-night minimum)

Vipp Salaca River, Latvia

Vipp Salaca River arrived at its riverside plot one log at a time. The listed fisherman’s house, built in 1876, was dismantled and rebuilt on 180 stones in Salaca National Park, having once served travellers between Riga and Wolmar. Now part of Vipp’s guesthouse portfolio, the 110 sq m cabin has interiors by Julie Cloos Mølsgaard. Dark log walls and a grey-brown ceiling frame a black Vipp V1 kitchen, mirrored fireplace and open living area. Upstairs, the master bedroom – freestanding bathtub included – overlooks the room below; a twin bedroom faces the woods. A separate terrace holds a wood-fired hot tub with panoramic views. The Salaca River Valley is perfect for kayaking, salmon fishing, cross-country skiing, swimming and autumn mushroom hunting.

Vipp Salaca River is located within Salaca National Park, Latvia; rates from: €375 per night (two-night minimum)

Yamanakako 1st, Japan

Two hours from Tokyo beside Lake Yamanaka, Yamanakako 1st forms part of the Sanu 2nd Home’s nationwide network of bookable retreats. Its Bee cabins were designed by Kotaro Anzai of ADX Architects, who combined a mountain-like profile with the structural logic of a honeycomb. Digitally slit cedar bends into curved partitions around the sleeping and work areas, while a floor-to-ceiling window borrows the surrounding woodland as scenery. Domestic timber construction and raised foundations limit disturbance to the site, while vacuum glazing and substantial insulation prepare the cabin for Japan’s humid summers and snow-heavy winters. Each cabin sleeps four, and features a kitchen, workspace and terrace.

Yamanakako 1st is located at Lake Yamanaka, Yamanashi, Japan; sa-nu.com; rates vary by date

In Sinu Architectes is a French firm that makes it into the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2026, our latest annual round-up of exciting emerging architecture studios.

Who: In Sinu Architectes

Focusing on renovation and rehabilitation, In Sinu Architectes takes a truly holistic approach with each of its projects. The studio, based between Paris and Barbizon, was founded in 2024 by architects Cassandre Verdier and Elena Cadouin, who embrace architecture, interior architecture, and design as different expressions of a single project.

Their research begins with a careful study of the context, from landscape and history to any existing structure and their clients’ ways of inhabiting space. The result is a portfolio of meaningful projects that enhance the natural qualities of their respective locations.

‘Each project is an opportunity to reveal the qualities of a site, an existing building, or a landscape,’ explain the architects. ‘We are interested neither in mimicry nor in autonomous formal gestures. What matters to us is the dialogue between architecture and its context: sometimes through continuity, sometimes through contrast, always through a relationship that enhances the perception of both.’

The pair are motivated by architecture’s ability to transform the way people use a place over time, how every element and detail finds its place. ‘Our design practice naturally extends our architectural approach. We place the same importance on designing a building as we do on designing a table or a light fixture. This continuity of vision lies at the heart of our identity,’ say the duo.

The name of the practice, In Sinu (meaning ‘within the folds’), reflects this philosophy. ‘More than an in situ architecture, we seek to create an architecture that settles within the folds of a territory – sometimes through continuity, sometimes through contrast – to establish a meaningful relationship between place and project.’

What: Maison de l'Orée

Before drawing, the architects first seek to understand a place: its light, topography, materials, history, and how the finished structure will be lived in. These elements become the project's primary material. This was no different for Maison de l'Orée, a project nestled amid woods in Barbizon.

The project emerged from a simple gesture following the client’s acquisition of the woodland adjacent to the plot. The architects reoriented the house towards this forest, centring the residence within its context, rather than it being on the edge looking in.

The residence boasts an organic material palette of ochre-toned timber cladding, which mirrors the site's pine trees and foliage. Inside, the natural material palette is continued. From oak joinery and bespoke cabinetry to a fireplace of hand-cut Fontainebleau sandstone – the same stone that is found in the surrounding forest – each detail is considered.

A brushed stainless-steel kitchen island adds a contemporary touch and also reflects both daylight and the shifting shadows of the trees. The commission also required furniture, with bespoke built-in pieces and freestanding elements to align with the design codes of the residence.

Say the architects: ‘Our approach is holistic. As architects, we conceive each project in its entirety, from its relationship to the site through to the design of the furniture and objects that inhabit it.’ Much like their ethos, Maison de l'Orée is a residence where interiors and architecture intertwine – with each other and with their context.

Why: Architects Directory 2026

When the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory was conceived in 2000, it was built as our bespoke international index of emerging architectural talent. Now in its 25th edition, our annual listing of promising practices from across the globe (now comprising over 500 alumni) champions the best and most promising young studios – a snapshot of talent showcasing inspiring work from all corners of the Earth with an emphasis on the residential realm.

This year’s anniversary survey includes 30 young studios (one for each of the 30 years of Wallpaper*), from Australia, Bahrain, Benin, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Ecuador, Ghana, Greece, France, Ivory Coast, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, India, Morocco, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, the USA, and Vietnam. Welcome to the promise, ideas and exciting architecture of the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2026.

insinuarchitectes.com

When La Réserve Paris opened its doors in 2015, it quickly became one of the city’s most sought-after addresses, offering a fresh take on Parisian hospitality. At a time when many of the capital’s best-known hotels were defined by their old-world grandeur and opulence, Michel Reybier instead took his cues from the intimacy and elegance of a private residence. Occupying a 19th-century Haussmann mansion tucked behind a discreet red door on Avenue Gabriel, La Réserve still feels more like an exquisitely run private home than a hotel. It’s this residential atmosphere, together with faultless service and Jacques Garcia’s richly layered interiors, that makes it as compelling today as it was ten years ago.

Wallpaper* checks in at La Réserve Paris Hotel and Spa

What's on your doorstep?

In the 8th arrondissement, between the Champs-Élysées and Faubourg Saint-Honoré, La Réserve occupies one of Paris’ most coveted addresses. Whether you’re a first-time visitor ticking off the capital’s landmarks, or a return traveller who simply wants to spend the day meandering without an agenda, the hotel is perfectly placed to explore the city on foot. The Grand Palais sits directly opposite, making it easy to drop into one of its exhibitions before wandering towards the Petit Palais, Place de la Concorde or the banks of the Seine. Avenue Montaigne’s designer boutiques and the Eiffel Tower are both within easy walking distance, but sometimes, the greatest pleasure is to spend an afternoon drifting through the surrounding streets, people watching over a glass of wine on a terrace, or settling into a neighbourhood bistro.

Who is behind the design?

Jacques Garcia’s fingerprints are unmistakable, but La Réserve is less about his usual theatrical flourishes or statement pieces. Instead, he channels the elegance of a lived-in Parisian residence, restoring original cornices and mouldings and layering the interiors with antiques, opulent fabrics, selected artworks, carved marble fireplaces, and precious woods. The result is timeless and full of character, with a level of attention that comes together to create a series of beautifully cohesive spaces, from the subtly illuminated bookshelves and embossed leather wall coverings in Le Gabriel to the handwoven silk wallpaper that envelops the bedrooms and the upholstered headboards.

The room to book

It’s hard to go wrong with any of the rooms at La Réserve Paris, but the Eiffel Presidential Suite ticks all the boxes. At 140 square metres, it’s generous in size, but it’s the flow that makes the biggest impression, where the living room connects seamlessly to the bathroom, dressing room and bedroom and then loops back, giving it the feel of a gracious Parisian apartment. French doors open onto a narrow balcony big enough for lingering breakfasts for two against Eiffel Tower views, while inside, Garcia’s richly layered interiors and luxurious marble bathrooms come together to create an elegant space you’ll find hard to leave. Even at turndown, the silk-upholstered headboard is protected with a bespoke linen cover in one of those memorable details that perfectly encapsulates La Réserve’s meticulous approach.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

One of the things La Réserve does so well is that its restaurants and bars are every bit as inviting for visitors as they are for guests staying upstairs. Le Gabriel, Jérôme Banctel’s three Michelin-starred restaurant, is the hotel’s culinary centrepiece, serving refined French cuisine through three tasting menus - Virée, Périple and Escale - that celebrate seasonal produce in a gorgeous dining room wrapped in embossed leather wall coverings.

During the warmer months, The Patio at La Pagode becomes one of the loveliest spots in the hotel for a leisurely breakfast or a caesar salad with a crisp glass of wine beneath century-old maple trees, while the Duc de Morny Library serves the same menu in cosier surroundings, where floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and deep armchairs invite lingering over an afternoon coffee. Come evening, the best space for an aperitif is Bar Le Gaspard, where the drinks menu features the hero cocktails from each of the La Réserve hotels around the world. The Golden Negroni from the Zurich property goes down a treat with the lobster club sandwich, followed by a glass of cognac in the intimate cigar lounge.

Where to switch off

After a day exploring the streets of Paris, there’s nowhere better than retreating to the Spa Nescens. Hidden away on the lower ground floor, it’s a calming space centred around a 16-metre indoor pool. There are just three treatment rooms and a menu that focuses on doing a few things expertly well, through its partnership with Swiss better-ageing specialist Nescens. Alongside facials and massage offerings like the Tesla Med Full Body Sculpt, which works on firmness, contouring and toning, there’s also a hair salon and beauty studio, making it tempting to pop in for a blow-dry before heading back upstairs for dinner.

The verdict

It’s easy to understand why La Réserve Paris remains a favourite for those in the know. Yes, the interiors are beautiful, and the location is exceptional, but it’s the intuitive service and the feeling of staying somewhere genuinely personal that sets La Réserve apart.

La Réserve Paris is located at 42 Av. Gabriel, 75008 Paris, France

When Rosewood took over Hôtel de Crillon in 2013, many were curious to see how one of Paris’ most storied palace hotels would evolve. More than a decade on, it has retained the grandeur and heritage of the original while giving it the unmistakable feel of a Rosewood. Discreet, warm and instinctively personal, the experience begins with a glass of champagne and the choice of checking in either in a private reception salon or from the comfort of your suite. That feeling carries through the rest of the stay, with staff who instinctively read their guests, whether that’s a butler who immediately checks the room temperature is to your liking, or a doorman waiting with a bottle of water after your early morning run. It’s this blend of Rosewood’s warm hospitality and one of Paris’ most iconic addresses that makes Hôtel de Crillon feel every bit as special today as it did when it reopened.

Wallpaper* checks in at Hôtel de Crillon, Paris

What’s on your doorstep?

Occupying a prime position on Place de la Concorde in the 8th arrondissement, Hôtel de Crillon puts quintessential Paris on your doorstep. Whether it’s a morning run to the Eiffel Tower, an afternoon exploring the latest exhibition at the Grand Palais or a stroll through the Jardin des Tuileries towards the Louvre, it’s easy to spend an entire day on foot. Rue Saint-Honoré, Place Vendôme and the Champs-Élysées are all close by, while some of the greatest pleasures come from ducking down a quieter side street before settling into a neighbourhood bistro for a long lunch spent watching Paris go by.

Who is behind the design?

The restoration of Hôtel de Crillon was the work of architect Richard Martinet together with interior designers Aline d’Amman, Tristan Auer and Chahan Minassian, who have given the hotel a lighter, more contemporary feel. Original details such as marble, carved stone, crystal chandeliers and gilded mouldings are balanced with contemporary furniture, carefully chosen artwork and a softer colour palette. It’s brighter than many of Paris’ palace hotels, with natural light pouring into the public spaces through a series of open-air courtyards, drawing attention to the craftsmanship throughout. The end result feels elegant and timeless, making it difficult to pick a favourite space.

The room to book

It’s hard to find fault with any of Hôtel de Crillon’s rooms, with even the entry-level rooms thoughtfully designed, and often used by butlers accompanying guests who require round-the-clock service. The Grand Premier Suite, however, strikes the sweet spot. Available with either courtyard or Rue Boissy d’Anglas views, it’s at its best first thing in the morning, when the French doors are thrown open and the sounds of Paris drift inside.

Decorated in a palette of soft greys, creams and pale blues with French oak parquet flooring, bespoke furniture and marble bathrooms, it perfectly reflects the hotel’s balance of history and modernity. If, however, you’re looking to experience one of the city’s most extraordinary hotel rooms, Karl Lagerfeld’s Les Grands Appartements deserve a look. Inspired by Versailles, the two apartments combine classical French detailing with a restrained palette of greys, marble and mirrored surfaces. Among the many standout details is a two-tonne solid Carrara marble bath, so heavy it had to be lifted through the window before being lowered into place on a block of ice, allowing it to settle gently onto the bathroom floor as the ice slowly melted.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

The best thing about Hôtel de Crillon is that its restaurants and bars feel just as much a part of Paris as they do the hotel itself. Breakfast is best enjoyed in the hotel’s leafy courtyard, where baskets of warm baguettes, generous slabs of salty French butter and an entirely à la carte menu set the tone for the day. Return later for dinner at Nonos by Paul Pairet, where the lively courtyard is one of the city’s loveliest places to dine, with standout dishes including the signature cheese soufflé, theatrically finished tableside.

The real showstopper, however, is Les Ambassadeurs Bar. Set beneath one of Paris’ most spectacular painted ceilings and surrounded by crystal chandeliers, gilded detailing and soaring windows overlooking Place de la Concorde, it’s the sort of room that, even on a balmy Paris evening, makes people choose to sit indoors rather than on a terrace. The signature cocktail menu takes inspiration from nostalgic memories, transforming everything from birthday cake to forest walks and summer barbecues into inventive drinks, while the black truffle and Comté croque is reason enough to linger for another round. Before leaving, make a detour via Butterfly Pâtisserie, where chef Matthieu Carlin’s beautifully crafted pastries provide a suitably sweet finale.

Where to switch off

Tucked beneath the hotel, the spa feels like a sanctuary from the bustle of Place de la Concorde above. At its centre is a beautiful 14m heated indoor pool, framed by pale stone, oak and softly lit alcoves that give the space a calm, residential feel rather than that of a traditional hotel spa. Alongside a sauna, steam room and fitness studio, the treatment menu combines bespoke massages and facials using Maison Caulières and EviDenS de Beauté products.

The verdict

There are grander hotels in Paris, and there are more intimate ones, but few strike the balance quite as well as Hôtel de Crillon. Beautifully restored, impeccably run, and warm with its instinctive service and relaxed atmosphere, it’s a hotel that’s just as enjoyable to return to after a day exploring the city as it is to simply spend time in.

Hôtel de Crillon is located at 6 Pl. de la Concorde, 75008 Paris, France

The new home for the Fonds Bustamante, the Eglise Saint-Croix, a deconsecrated 12th-century church in Arles, has been many things: a stop on the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route, a private home, a spa, and now an art foundation for French artist Jean-Marc Bustamante.

Tour the Fonds Bustamante’s new home

At 74, Bustamante has a career spanning photography, painting and sculpture. He represented France at the São Paulo Biennale in 1994 and the Venice Biennale in 2003, and was director of the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris for four years. He has long been thinking about this project, including an aborted effort eight years ago to create it in his hometown of Toulouse (at the last minute, the city commandeered the building for a football club). When the church came up for sale in Arles, he jumped at it.

Arles presents a unique challenge, as it is home to a number of excellent art foundations as well as the annual Rencontres d'Arles photography festival. 'We have to do a good job,' says the tall, silver-maned Bustamante. 'Because we're going to be judged. People will say, “What have they brought that's new?"'

To renovate the church, he hired architect Charles Zana, whose work on the CAB foundation in Saint-Paul de Vence he admired. Zana gutted the building and did the job in only 18 months, keeping the building's historical integrity while adding a contemporary feel.

And though his intervention is subtle, he says it was a major undertaking: 'There were many scars from the past.' As to the exercise of turning a church into an art space, Zana found it natural. 'It's easier to make an art foundation in a place of worship than a nightclub. There's a silence that's similar in both places, and even a way of walking, whether looking at art or stained glass.'

The entrance is now a monumental door in bronze-coloured metal, with moucharabieh-like latticework. Inside, Zana kept traces of the stone walls and arches that had survived the years. He references the building's ecclesiastical past with a long nave-like axis on the ground floor, leading to a stairway at the end. Exposed white corrugated aluminium on the ceilings emphasises the architect's hand while reminding visitors that this was once an open space.

The exhibition rooms, spread over three floors, are in neutral shades of stone and concrete. Zana used warmer tones in the dramatically lit stairwell, with terrazzo stairs crafted by local artisans, and terracotta paint on the walls, colours which remind him of the nearby Camargue. Bustamante added a strip of enamelled lava tiles to the building's façade, choosing yellow in a nod to Vincent Van Gogh, the city's most famous former resident.

Bustamante means for the foundation to ensure his own legacy and also to support that of his peers, notably European artists from the 1980s onward. 'I lived through a very important time, between avant-gardistes and the end of the avant-garde,' he says. 'I don't want the artists of that tradition to be forgotten, and I think that today, memories are very short.'

To help with that task, he created a supervisory board and scientific committee of important figures from the art world. The inaugural exhibition, titled 'En Miroirs', features his work in dialogue with artists he's exhibited or worked with over the past 40 years, all friends or former students.

In the nave, PSSST GOD is a series of monochrome paintings by Gerhard Merz, a German painter born in 1947. Bustamante says, 'With monochrome, we arrive at the end of painting. He is no longer dealing with art history; he is dealing with God.' The first floor features a stunning double-height gallery, where the Spanish artist Cristina Iglesias created a large cast aluminium and glass sculpture especially for the space. It sits near a sculpture by Franz West and a photograph of an upside-down tree by Rodney Graham.

Another gallery includes an abstract painting by a former student, Alice Anderson, made while she danced a performance with a microwave oven. It hangs beside Bustamante's 1977 photograph of a house being built in Spain, what he calls a 'photographic painting', showing the world under construction at a certain moment in time.

On the top floor, an apartment with a spectacular view will be an artist's residence, as Bustamante plans for the foundation to be active year-round with exhibitions, masterclasses and symposiums. And the street-level café with its cobblestoned terrace is sure to be a hit with locals.

fondsbustamante.com

zana.fr

In the woods above the well-known French spa town of Evian, a new concert hall, La Source Vive, is shaped like a horse's hoof and is as finely tuned as a Stradivarius.

Fifty years ago, Antoine Riboud, then CEO of Danone Foods, created a classical music festival here. When he hired Mstislav Rostropovich as artistic director, the great cellist requested a new concert hall, something between a Russian dacha and Yehudi Menuhin's tent in Gstaad. In response, the maverick French architect Patrick Bouchain created La Grange au Lac, a large, rustic wooden space with chandeliers, inaugurated in 1993.

Explore the new Evian concert hall

Fast forward to 2017, when another French philanthropist and music lover, Aline Foriel-Destezet, was looking to build a concert hall of her own. She saw La Grange au Lac, was charmed, and hired Bouchain. After searching for a location, they chose to place the new building next to Bouchain's earlier creation. 'My life has been exceptional, because 30 years apart, I received pretty much the same command from two different people,' says the architect, 'and both gave me the same freedom.'

Bouchain told Foriel-Destezet he wanted to work with a partner, someone who would do the heavy architectural lifting while he acted as artistic director. He had become friendly with Philippe Chiambaretta, whose firm, PCA-Stream (behind Paris' Stream Building), employs a design approach based largely on science and exploration. The two men's offices were minutes apart, and they frequently met over coffee to discuss theories and ideas.

The first step was a much-needed restoration of the 1,000-seat Grange au Lac, which would now be devoted to symphonies. Then the architects created a smaller, complementary building with 500 seats, for chamber music concerts and musical recordings, La Source Vive. The architects also tore down the existing foyer and replaced it with a new one that leads to both concert halls, a wood-and-glass structure that references a Novarina-Prouvé building in Evian. Together, the buildings form a complex named Les Mélèzes (for the surrounding larch trees), with a programme of music and performing arts throughout the year.

Music was the driving element for La Source Vive's design. 'It's interesting for an architect to have this type of command, where you're not only looking, but listening, too,' says Chiambaretta. He and Bouchain worked closely with violinist Renaud Capuçon, the current director of the Rencontres Musicales d'Evian festival, who told them he wanted a sound that was 'warm and silky', citing favourite venues such as the Vienna Musikverein. A key member of the team was the internationally renowned acoustician Albert Xu, who passed away at age 89, just as construction started.

La Source Vive's footprint was imposed by nature; since the team wanted to avoid cutting down any trees, they chose a round clearing that was practically bare. The number of seats determined its volume, as another rule in acoustics is about 11 cubic metres of volume per audience member – enough space for the sound to bounce around.

The design was an iterative process, guided by acoustic parameters such as reverberation time – ideally 1.8 seconds. Concert halls come in two main forms: a rectangular shoebox or a 'vineyard', with seating surrounding the stage. La Source Vive became a hybrid of the two, an oval shape with a conical roof. Bouchain made models out of wood or plaster, while Chiambaretta’s studio created a 3D digital model, inputting different shapes and materials to simulate sound quality and sightlines. 'The form resembled a brain, and we had scans, like MRIs, where we could know the reverberation time for each seat,' says Chiambaretta. 'It was crazy.'

At every stage of construction, acousticians from Meta captured sound at different points in the room and compared the results with the architects' predictions. 'Each time we remeasured, correcting the model to be sure the sound would be perfect,' says Chiambaretta. 'Because we knew if we screwed up, if we ended up with two seconds of reverberation, Capuçon and Aline would kill us.'

Specialised artisans used age-old techniques, such as plastering the walls with trowels. 'All the great concert halls of the 19th century are in plaster,' says Bouchain, a master of materials. The unpainted plaster is sculpted with squiggly lines that resemble an electrocardiogram, closer together at the bottom than at the top, for optimal reverberation.

Chiambaretta compares the building's shell to an onion, layered with plaster, concrete, a wood frame, and finally the envelope in oiled copper, an aesthetic choice that allows it to blend into the surrounding woods. Above the stage, acoustic aluminium panels open like a camera aperture, exposing an oculus in the ceiling. That way, says Bouchain, 'the musicians can rehearse by daylight rather than artificial lighting'.

Two-person seats like little sofas are made from orangey-beige leather (rejected by fashion houses due to small imperfections), and padded for comfort and sound quality. They can be moved around, even close to the instruments, offering an accessible experience for the hard-of-hearing.

Six months before opening, everyone who worked on La Source Vive was invited to a special concert to thank them and test the sound in the presence of an audience. This was followed by a 'technical' concert and more tweaking of the interior – like an instrument, the room's sound can be tuned from one concert to another. In mid-June, the venue had its first challenge, hosting a concert for world leaders gathering at the G7 summit.

And on 24 June, the Rencontres Musicales season finally opened at La Source Vive with a quartet that included Capuçon and superstar cellist Yo Yo Ma. The sounds of Brahms and Schumann were warm and silky, just as requested. As the musicians left the stage, Yo Yo Ma thanked the two architects, sitting in the front row.

Afterwards, Chiambaretta reflected on the experience. 'It was a good lesson to work with musicians who are used to playing together. That’s rare in architecture, where we’re usually competing. But Patrick couldn't have done this project without me, and I couldn't have done it without him.'

pca-stream.com

The south of France’s annual design competition and festival, Design Parade, celebrates a milestone anniversary in 2026, marking 20 years of its ‘Objet’ (Product design) competition, and 10 years of its ‘Architecture d’intérieur’ (Interior design) competition. The occasion was customarily revelrous with passionate speeches, a pétanque tournament, a retrospective exhibition curated by David Giroire, and a talks programme featuring India Mahdavi hosted by Matter + Shape beneath umbrella pines to a soundtrack of cicadas.

Design Parade 2026 at Villa Noailles

At the 1920s Villa Noailles in Hyeres, the ten ‘Product design’ finalists included ‘imprecise candle clocks’ that challenge our relationship to time by Matisse Vrignaud and Lundja Medjoub (winners of a residency at the Sèvres National Manufacture). Yohan Thomas’ efficient lamp that hacked its own design system bringing autonomy back to small-scale manufacturing. And Mexican designer Eduardo Altamirano’s hypnotic, minimalist open speaker won the public prize.

Tin Ayala (Ecuador), who remixed precolonial Andean ceramic huacos with characters from video games and comics suggesting pre-to-post-colonial continuities, won the jury’s ‘Product design’ grand prize. Meanwhile conceptual designer Shahar Livne (Netherlands), a former student of Formafantasma, examined colonialism through the lens of rubber, examining its human and animal cost.

Stanislas Colodiet, director of CIRVA (France’s International centre of Glass and Plastic Arts) and member of the ‘Product design’ jury this year, remarked that post-colonialism has gained more interest from designers in recent years, as well as how objects can shape new rituals. 'An object should have agency,' he says.

Colodiet will work closely with winner Ayala during an upcoming residency at CIRVA in Marseille, which is part of the prize; and was proud to reflect on the collaboration with last year’s winner Simon Dupety, whose installation of organic glass vessels and lamps formed a dystopian garden inside the Villa Noailles.

Transforming Villa Noailles through contemporary interior design

The ten ‘Interior design’ competition finalists each transformed a room in the villa. Winner of the jury’s grand prize, Valentin Bayoud’s hearth-inspired cocoon replaced fire with water, inviting shared contemplation. Water was central to Elen Rio’s Mediterranean garden with a dynamic basin and playful hosepipes; as well as Yohann Hubert and Carlotta Lagazzi’s (winners of the Nationale manufactures Mobilier national Prize) reimagining of a wrecked boat.

Julie Liger, Artistic Director of Design Parade, noticed an increase in ‘spaces that isolate you from the intensity of life, yet not to be alone – to be with friends and discuss, and to see and observe nature.’ Reflecting on her own pioneering participation in 10 years of the ‘Interior design’ competition, she’s seen the rise of environmentalism. Today it’s integral to how all finalists think, yet this year explored it with the most freedom and sophistication in the use of circular and natural materials.

As well as noting an almost ‘Baroque’ approach to craft and decoration, with designers showing intensive interest in materiality and taking craft back into their own hands. See Boris Cojean’s silky beeswax surfaces; Simon Searle and Victoire Lesthevenon’s local timber tinted with plant-based dyes (Public prize winner); Marion Moustey and Ewerton Alves’ aubergine curtains; and Clément Pasquier’s magical cork oak skin.

Liger sees the competition as an extension of the rich French heritage of interior design, and importantly one that, rather than in Paris, is rooted in the Mediterranean context of the south. Taking place during intense heat-waves across Europe, Design Parade’s question of how to live in the Mediterranean felt very relevant, as Northern Europe looks south for wisdom and innovation from shading, to water management.

An eco-system of design

Each year of the festival, the regional eco-system of design further strengthens. This year, visitors can discover new collectible design gallery Pour Vous and return to the Banane d’Or concept space in Hyères; be inspired by graduate presentations at the Camondo Méditerranée school and an exhibition on design and textiles at the Hôtel des Art featuring Sheila Hicks, Hella Jongerius and Muller Van Severen in Toulon.

They can also experience the work of Design Parade veterans of all levels in various places. During opening week, Edgar Jayet (5th Interior design winner, 2021) opened a recently designed home to curious visitors; pétanque played out at the sea-front Hotel Le Provencal designed by Rodolphe Parente (6th Interior design jury president, 2022, and 10th Interior design jury member); and lunch was hosted at Hotel Lilou designed by Kim Haddou and Florent Dufourcq (3rd Interior design finalist, 2018).

One day, dreams Liger, Design Parade will take to the streets with regional public commissions from designers, such as a fountain or landscaping. Perhaps more critically and environmentally engaged than ever before, this year’s Design Parade shows that it’s set on further expanding its impact through its community, as well as continuing to inspire surrealist imaginations through its enduringly playful spirit.

Design Parade is on view until 4 September 2026
villanoailles.com

La Fantaisie in Paris has handed over one of its 73 rooms to the Hungarian artist Szabolcs Bozó, whose vibrant creatures and fluid, folk-inflected forms now occupy Room 607 for a nine-month residency. Running until 22 February 2027, the project continues the hotel’s ongoing artistic series, which previously saw a takeover by French contemporary artist Ben Arpéa.

Tour La Fantaisie’s Art Suite by Szabolcs Bozó

Bozó’s work has always carried the cadence of a spontaneous drawing and the nostalgia of a childhood memory. Rooted in Hungarian folk traditions and shaped by a self-taught visual language, his paintings, sculptures and installations are populated by zoomorphic figures that orbit somewhere between dream, fable and playground.

The walls of Room 607 have become an in-situ canvas, layered with works made directly for the space, while the existing artworks have been replaced entirely with pieces by Bozó. Handmade cushions and bespoke bedspreads woven with his signature animal-like motifs bring the collaboration into the soft furnishings; large-scale soft sculptures introduce a more physical sense of play; and hand-painted lampshades cast the room in a warmer, stranger glow.

A booklet for guests offers an introduction to the artist alongside the works available to purchase, while a selection of co-branded objects is also available and is exclusively sold at La Fantaisie, featuring caps, stickers, playing cards, and trays.

The Art Suite by Szabolcs Bozó spans 42 sq m, sleeps up to three guests and overlooks the hotel’s garden. It comprises a large walk-in closet, a plush bathroom with a bathtub and shower, and a sofa bed which can be turned into an additional sleeping quarter. Designed by Martin Brudnizki, La Fantaisie is already a botanical exercise in colour, pattern and exuberance, with boutique rooms, a glass-roofed restaurant, garden terrace, street-facing café, rooftop bar and spa in Paris’s 9th arrondissement.

‘Coinciding with my exhibition Antidote at Semiose, my collaboration with La Fantaisie brings together familiar elements from my studio, but also new materials, including fabric and everyday objects, allowing guests to experience my work in an even more tactile way. Paris as a location has always been close to my heart, with my first show taking place here,’ says Bozó of the opening.

La Fantaisie is located at 24 Rue Cadet, 75009 Paris, France. Rates for the Art Suite by Szabolcs Bozó start from 1,000 EUR inc. breakfast (approximately 862 GBP)

In early July 2026, after circa 30,000 units built, the last petrol-powered Alpine A110 is set to sashay off its Dieppe production line. Debuted in 2017 at the Geneva Motor Show, the rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, lightweight and low-slung two-seater was an instant hit with critics, including this one. As I commented back then: ‘A delight in all departments. Design, performance, handling and overall feel-good factor are sky-high in this wonderfully pared-back but still high-quality sportscar.’

The car was also significant for resurrecting the long dormant Alpine brand – which traces its roots back to the early 1950s and a French garage owner in Dieppe called Jean Rédélé, who tinkered with Renaults to make them racier. With some of his greatest rally successes taking place in the French Alps, when Rédélé created his own brand in 1955, he named it ‘Alpine’ in recognition.

The A110 nameplate has serious history too. First produced as a similar two-seater sports car from 1963-1977, the original version has a wonderfully curvaceous body embedded with four round and distinctively arranged headlights created by the Italian car design master Giovanni Michelotti.

Owned by Renault since 1973 and merged with Renault Sport in 1976 with some motorsport success in Le Mans and elsewhere, the Alpine brand was mothballed in 1995 but slowly brought back to life via various concept cars in the early 2010s.

The modern A110 references the original’s form language and front face too, but in a suitably 21st-century way via Anthony Villain, Alpine’s current design director. Not a great deal has changed since the 249hp A110 launched nine years ago for just over £50,000, aside from an infotainment system upgrade and the addition of Apple CarPlay compatibility.

Some faster (and more expensive) editions were created – including the £75,840 300hp A110 GTS model driven to Le Mans for this article – but the basic formula remains the same. Keep the weight down – the basic 2018 A110 was just 1103kg, and the GTS is still only between 1119-1140kg depending on options (in a world where many cars regularly exceed two tonnes). Make it low, compact and agile – the A110 is 1252mm high and 4181mm long – and let a modest but fun 1.8-litre petrol unit do the rest.

As a test of that formula, taking the annual pilgrimage from the UK to the 24 Hours of Le Mans race seemed like a fine idea. It is a journey that has been undertaken for as long as the race has existed, starting back in 1923, due to the involvement of British racing teams such as Bentley and more.

London to Le Mans in an Alpine A110

Kicking off the 700-odd mile round trip from south London, it’s optimal to keep the A110 on regular roads without speed bumps – its sporty suspension will let you know about some asphalt imperfections – but where they cannot be avoided, it’s far from a deal-breaker, and not ‘crashy’ like some German rivals. The A110’s seats, although bucket-style racers, also have sufficient padding to keep its occupants in fine fettle for such a long drive.

But the proper fun starts when the roads clear, especially once through the Channel Tunnel and into France. The 300hp 1.8-litre petrol engine makes a cracking sound when clicking through the automatic gearbox via tall aluminium paddle-shifters, and 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds is easy. Press the orangey-red Sport button attached to the south-east edge of the steering-wheel hub and everything tightens up and becomes louder, which lots of the (mainly young and male) fans lining the route on the way to Le Mans liked a lot.

As soon as the A110 GTS popped out of the Le Shuttle car train in Calais, the unofficial Le Mans paparazzi were quick to photograph the little French motor alongside far more expensive and bigger-engined McLarens and Ferraris. This crowd response was repeated time and again along the route down to Le Mans, from kids at the side of the motorway or on top of bridges spanning it – videoing, photographing and urging you to just rev the perky engine further.

It should be noted that along the same route there were also French police pointing a different type of camera at the exotic automotive convoy, hoping to catch those straying over various variable speed limits. Which kept the mind focused on driving, at least.

Within those emotional bookends, the A110 GTS handles with an easy and controllable charm through twisty roads, and feels sublime accelerating up to top-end French motorway speeds and its 6300rpm max power.

It’s not a perfect car, though. Luggage space is limited to a little bit of storage room behind the seats, for a slim laptop case, and a tiny rear boot that will only house a soft weekender bag after a gentle downward shove. However, due to the A110’s rear mid-engined layout, there is also a shallower and wider luggage space at the front that might take a small aircraft carry-on bag or two.

Partly due to its keep-things-simple focus, the outgoing A110 only offers a small hole between the front seats behind your elbow to store a drink – and it’s not really cupholder-shaped – and the old-school USB slots alongside a phone jack underneath the floating centre console make charging modern mobile phones tricky. You’ll need a USB-C converter or a power bank for longer journeys.

Still, the A110 is a fine example of a small petrol sports car that does just what it should: turn heads, rev sweetly, propel you forward with confidence and aplomb and handle brilliantly – while putting a big smile on your face (and that of most people who see it). With only 40 or so left in UK dealers at the time of writing, plus a few more around the world, now could be a great time to invest.

It’s not the last A110, though. The next one, due in 2027, will be an all-electric two-seater coupé followed by a 2+2-seat version. With Villain involved in its design and Alpine’s engineers promising a still-low (if slightly higher) kerb weight, we’re hopefully confident the racing spirit of this car will not be lost.

Alpine has motorsport provenance in spades, both historically and now. Its A424 is competing in its final season of the World Endurance Championship – within which the 24 hours of Le Mans race is the most famous round – and its drivers performed decently in the mid-June race, finishing sixth and tenth in the Hypercar category.

Alpine is still involved in Formula 1 too, where it is currently underperforming but future-focusing its racing efforts, due to F1’s greater standing as the pinnacle of motorsport and the related larger (social) media attention. In the last few weeks Alpine announced that, from the 2027 season, its cars will race under a new name – ‘Gucci Racing Alpine Formula One Team’.

This headline sponsorship would suggest the world-famous Italian luxury fashion house finds Alpine as credible as those Le Mans fans lining the French auto routes. And the vehicle should look spectacular in Gucci’s iconic colours.

In an automotive world where so many historic brands have lost their way, Alpine seems like a great example of a marque with a compelling story past, present and future – and its management is spending time and resources to tell it convincingly.

Literally the last public interaction I had, while filling up the A110 at a random London petrol station before its collection by Alpine, was with a very regular elderly gentleman pulling in to pump up his car’s tyres and saying, unprompted, ‘What a beautiful car.’ He’s right. It is, in every sense.

Alpine-Cars.co.uk, @AlpineCars

One of Airbus’ five BelugaST aircraft has been moved from the company’s industrial flight line to the Aeroscopia Museum in Toulouse, ending a working life that began in 1995. The aircraft, an A300-600ST registered as F-GSTD, will become a permanent exhibit at the museum, joining Concorde, the Super Guppy and the A380.

Airbus’s BelugaST joins Toulouse’s aviation hall of fame

Developed to replace the Super Guppy, the BelugaST became one of the most recognisable aircraft in commercial aviation. Its bulbous upper fuselage, short cockpit section and rounded nose gave it the unmistakable profile of a beluga whale – a resemblance Airbus leaned into with the aircraft’s name. For aviation enthusiasts, it has long occupied a special place in the spotting hierarchy: not the fastest, rarest or most glamorous aircraft, but one of the most rewarding to see.

The aircraft was built for a specific job: carrying wings, fuselage sections and other large components between Airbus sites across Europe. The fleet helped support the company’s move towards higher production levels, with each aircraft able to carry a payload of 40 tonnes – roughly the weight of an adult humpback whale.

Aircraft F-GSTD turned 27 years old on 18 December 2025. Its arrival at Aeroscopia follows Airbus’ announcement earlier this year that the BelugaST fleet would be retired. From mid-2027, component transport will be handled solely by the larger BelugaXL fleet, which already serves 11 Airbus sites around Europe.

The aircraft’s career extended beyond Airbus logistics. In 1997, a BelugaST set a world record for the largest payload carried by air, transporting a chemical tank for a merchant ship. Two years later, another aircraft in the fleet carried Eugène Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People from Paris to Tokyo. The BelugaST was also used to transport the Columbus module for the International Space Station, large telecommunications satellites and, in 2003, three Airbus Helicopters rotorcraft on a 25-hour charter flight to Melbourne.

aeroscopia.fr

13 Rue François Sibilli has seemingly become the epicentre of Saint-Tropez’s summer social circuit. Two stone pillars, each bearing a discreet Dior medallion, open onto a herringbone brick path that heralds a sprawling manifestation of the maison’s universe, luring in both ritzy passersby and those with weeks-in-advance bookings. Here, the majestic boutique – with its pale blue shutters and ivy-clad façade presiding over the whole scene – showcases the latest creations by Jonathan Anderson alongside Riviera-inspired pieces.

Meanwhile, a chic café, open all year round and offering a delectable afternoon tea experience, faces a lush scene punctuated by a colourful stone totem by Swiss sculptor Ugo Rondinone and a carp-shaped gilt bronze sculpture by French visual artist François-Xavier Lalanne.

A new chapter in Dior’s Saint-Tropez story

New for this season is Monsieur Dior, a restaurant helmed by three-Michelin-starred Argentine chef Mauro Colagreco of Mirazur fame as a tribute to the late couturier. Its entrance is discreetly concealed, tucked into a garden beside the boutique where lavender, sunpatiens and cape plumbago grow freely, and the scent of jasmine drifts through the air. The setting is open to the sky, shaded by cream parasols with frilled golden edges and anchored by rattan details echoing Dior’s cannage motif: a geometric pattern of interlacing squares and diagonals.

Colagreco is no stranger to cooking in dialogue with the maison. The first iteration of Dior by Mauro Colagreco opened in Bangkok as a café in 2024, within a Dior boutique infused with Thai craftsmanship and flavours such as pandan and coconut. Saint-Tropez is its Mediterranean counterpart. To prepare for this collaboration, Colagreco spent a week in Paris, fully immersing himself in the Dior museum and the archive with a research team that included anthropologists, artists, writers and ethnobotanists alongside his cooks.

‘It made us leave our creative process,’ he tells me, from one of the café’s deep wicker armchairs. ‘In general, we take an ingredient or a culinary technique. Here it was a dress, a way of thinking of Monsieur Dior.’ Among the most unexpected discoveries: a cookbook. ‘Christian Dior cooked, and cooked with conviction. His recipes revealed more about the man’s sensibility – a love of simplicity, an attentiveness to quality – than any archive photograph could.’

Beyond their shared passion for gardens, the deeper connection is celestial. Christian Dior consulted astrologers before each collection, carried talismans and read the tarot. Colagreco, meanwhile, has farmed biodynamically for years – his calendars at Mirazur are determined not by season alone but by lunar cycles. When he began reading about Dior’s beliefs, something clicked into place. ‘The cosmic influence on the plants is one of the bases of the biodynamic techniques we use at Mirazur,’ he says. ‘It is much more known in winemaking than in agriculture. We follow a lunar calendar to grow our produce.’

The menus follow the rhythm of the day. Breakfast ranges from the pared-back Lever de Soleil to the more generous Rosée du Matin and Éveil Gourmand, centred on artisan breads, seasonal fruit and eggs cooked to order. Lunch is served as the three-course Déjeuner de Soleil, while dinner takes the form of the five-course Clair de Lune. Most ingredients arrive from Colagreco’s biodynamic orchards and vegetable gardens in Menton within 48 hours of harvest.

When I ask Colagreco what he would serve Monsieur Dior first, were he to be seated here with us, his eyes light up. ‘The Champ de Trèfle,’ he says without hesitation: a tartare of red Sicilian gamberoni with lime and wood sorrel, the scattered leaves standing in for the four-leaf clover Monsieur Dior never left home without.

At breakfast, the Casse-croûte truffé combines flaky brioche with a softly set egg, jasmine-infused cream and shaved summer truffle. The Mediterranean John Dory, wrapped in a zucchini flower and served in a saffron sauce (dubbed Drapé de Soleil), is among the menu’s standouts. During my visit, a special of Poisson Mille-Fleurs – the menu changes every three weeks – arrived covered in petals and herbs, assembled with the precision of couture embroidery.

The attention to detail extends to the smallest gestures: amuse-bouches served in rose petals, desserts finished with insect-shaped golden chocolates. The references are deliberate. Throughout his career, Christian Dior returned repeatedly to the garden as a source of inspiration, weaving flowers, leaves and insects into his collections. At Monsieur Dior, Colagreco translates those same motifs onto the plate.

The cocktail list continues the narrative. Jardin d’Étoiles, a pear and fig leaf cordial, references Christian Dior’s belief in fate and the lucky star he carried throughout his life, while Brume Marine is built around passion fruit and tomato distillate, drawing on Saint-Tropez and the couturier’s enduring relationship with the Riviera.

Towards the end of our conversation, I asked Colagreco what he most enjoys growing in Menton. The answer is not fruit or vegetables, but trees. ‘When you plant a tree, you plant it not for yourself, but for everyone that comes after you.’

Monsieur Dior by Mauro Colagreco is located at 13 Rue François Sibilli, 83990 Saint-Tropez, France

Since founding We Are Ona in 2019, Luca Pronzato (winner of a Wallpaper* Design Award in 2025) has amassed a reputation around impermanence. The Paris-based entrepreneur has spent the past seven years staging nomadic dining experiences across the world, bringing together chefs, artists, designers and cultural figures for events that exist for a matter of days – sometimes only hours – before disappearing again.

Among the most memorable was a collaboration with artist Carsten Höller’s Stockholm restaurant Brutalisten during Art Basel Paris 2024, where a menu of radically stripped-back dishes transformed a former railway station, with the monochromatic interiors matching the brutalist influences of the food. His next venture? It goes beyond one-nighters.

Tour the modernist house reimagining hospitality in Arles

Casa Ideale marks Pronzato’s first move into longer-form hospitality. Conceived as a hybrid between a private house, cultural residency, exhibition space and culinary destination, the project extends the collaborative universe of We Are Ona beyond the temporary event format on which it was built.

‘There is something very powerful about gathering people for a moment that only exists once,’ says Pronzato. ‘However, after years of travelling and creating projects around the world, I felt the desire to build something with a longer horizon.’

That ambition found a home in Villa Bank, one of two organic villas designed by architect Émile Sala in the early 1970s and recognised by the French Ministry of Culture as Architecture Contemporaine Remarquable. Spanning 350 sq m, the sculptural residence unfolds through a sequence of curved volumes and south-facing spaces that establish a symbiotic dialogue between architecture, landscape and daily life.

‘What I enjoyed most was taking the time to understand Sala’s original vision and thinking about how it could resonate today,’ he explains. ‘Rather than transforming it completely, the process was about listening to the architecture.’

The interiors were developed by Pronzato and his partner, fashion insider Clara Cornet, who approached the villa as an inhabited environment rather than a conventional interior design project. Pieces from their personal collection sit alongside works sourced with gallerist Luna Laffanour and her Paris-based design platform Downtown+.

The resulting mix spans post-war French design, radical Italian experimentation and contemporary practice, bringing together pieces by Pierre Chapo, Jean Prouvé, Philippe Starck, Gaetano Pesce and Henri Bataille.

This philosophy is further reflected in Casa Ideale’s multidisciplinary cultural programme. Opening during the first week of the annual summer photography festival Les Rencontres d’Arles in July 2026, an exhibition developed with Fondazione Sozzani will bring 67 works from the Carla Sozzani Collection into Villa Bank’s domestic setting.

Curated by Maddalena Scarzella, the presentation draws on more than five decades of photography assembled by the polymathic journalist, publisher and founder of 10 Corso Como, spanning fashion imagery, portraiture, reportage and still life. Installed throughout the house, the works create what Pronzato describes as a series of ‘rooms of vision’ and will remain on view for six months by appointment.

During the opening period, from 1-10 July, Villa Bank’s five suites will be available to book individually, while Portuguese chef Gil Nogueira, known for his bold, fire-driven cuisine and who earned a Michelin Green Star at Le Garde Champêtre, will lead a gastronomic experience open to both guests and the public. Outside this period, from mid-May to October, Casa Ideale is available for exclusive private hire, accommodating up to ten guests across five suites. Half-board is included, while a full-board option features meals prepared on site by a private chef.

‘Hospitality has always been about more than food or accommodation,’ Pronzato adds. ‘It is about creating cultural environments where people can connect, discover and feel inspired.’

As for what’s next, additional Casa Ideale locations are already in development, with future sites expected to respond to their own architectural, cultural and geographical contexts. The ambition is to build a collection of houses shaped by culture, design and hospitality rather than a network of conventional hospitality destinations.

As Pronzato puts it: ‘Art is not something separate from hospitality; it becomes part of how people experience a place.’

Casa Ideale opens from mid-May to October. Rooms are available from €600 per night via We Are Ona, while exclusive hire of Villa Bank starts from €3,000 per night with a three-night minimum stay. The Fondazione Sozzani exhibition opens during the first week of Les Rencontres d’Arles and remains accessible by appointment.

The creative season in the south of France commences for 2026. From Aix-en-Provence to Marseille, Saint-Tropez to Saint-Paul-de-Vence, experience the luminosity, delicacy, heritage conversations, sensuality and organic nature of contemporary regional design. Discover French icons of the 20th century, Pierre Paulin and Jean Prouvé. Lose yourself in the dense atmospheres of photographer François Halard and the idealism of Victor Vasarely; then find fresh and emerging inspiration in the annual Design Parade that celebrates a special anniversary this year.

10 design highlights in the south of France this summer

‘Childhood Memories’ at Une Maison à Saint-Tropez

Interior designer Isabelle Castanier invites 20 designers into her childhood home in Saint-Tropez to salute the generations of children who have grown up in the 18th-century Provençal house. A series of playful tableaux tells stories of sandcastles, sweet dreams and sticky fingers through textiles by Sarah Espeute, trumeau mirrors by Sébastien Gafari, cast aluminium treasures by Axel Chay, and many more delights from the likes of India Mahdavi and Linde Freya Tangelder. Each Thursday evening, the exhibition spills out onto the Place des Lices, showcasing collectible design between games of pétanque and glasses of lemonade.

6 June-31 July 2026
Une Maison à Saint-Tropez, 17 Avenue Foch, 83990 Saint-Tropez

Olivia Cognet, ‘Inhabiting the Landscape House’ at Dragon Hill

This summer, Vallauris-based sculptor-designer Olivia Cognet inhabits the organic Dragon Hill house designed by French architect Jacques Couëlle in the 1960s with a domestic landscape of works that respond to its cavities, recesses and irregular volumes. Just like Couëlle, Cognet seeks to dissolve the boundary between the body and space: there’s a vast sofa made in collaboration with Lyon upholsterer Degut, and a garden seating space of monolithic furniture that blends function and decoration. Dragon Hill and its sculpture park, found in the hills above Cannes, comprise a private residence; it can occasionally be visited by appointment, subject to availability (visit requests may be sent to hello@dragonhill.fr).

13 May-November 2026
Dragon Hill Residence, Castellaras le Neuf, 06730 Mouans-Sartoux

‘Project for a revolution’ at the Vasarely Foundation

In honour of the 50th anniversary of Op art pioneer Victor Vasarely’s ‘Architecture Center’ in Aix-en-Provence, inaugurated in 1976, Fondation Vasarely charts the building’s genesis and ambitions in an exhibition in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou. Archival materials chart its conceptual origins in the Bauhaus; Vasarely’s urban integrations in Caracas in 1954; and his ‘Polychrome City of Happiness’ thesis, as well as contemporaneous projects of Yona Friedman’s ‘Spatial City’ and André Bloc’s Habitable Sculptures.

12 June-1 November 2026
Fondation Vasarely, Jas de Bouffan, 13090 Aix-en-Provence

François Halard at Gallifet

More than 100 photographs by French photographer François Halard capture his quest for beauty through the materiality of interiors, the depths of memories and fragments of ancient architecture. Titled ‘Ne rien jeter, 33 ans après’, the exhibition traces an archive of studio visits to Cy Twombly, Robert Rauschenberg and Carlo Mollino, pilgrimages to Casa Malaparte and Giverny, and the physicality of image-making from hotel darkrooms to painted layers.

This year, Gallifet’s summer season brings the culinary residency of Lisa Desforges and Bruno Hammerle, who worked together at l’Ami Jean in Paris and now reunite to craft spontaneous hyper-local menus for the courtyard restaurant beneath century-old chestnut trees.

6 March-27 September 2026
Gallifet, 52 rue Cardinale, 13100 Aix-en-Provence

‘Movement Architecture Community’ at Kolektiv Cité Radieuse

This summer, the non-profit gallery inside Le Corbusier’s Unité d’Habitation in Marseille spotlights the work of Australian photographer Adrian Meško, who was born in the former Czechoslovakia. Specifically, his documentation of (La)Horde, the contemporary dance collective with whom he embedded during the pandemic, documenting their rituals, choreographies and architectural inhabitation. Through the lens of Meško and the corporeal expression of (La)Horde, the exhibition explores the intersection of movement, queer politics and Modernist built environments that can both constrain and emancipate.

10 July-22 August 2026
Kolektiv Cité Radieuse, Third floor, Unité d’Habitation, 280 Boulevard Michelet, 13008 Marseille

Victor Siret and Arnaud Eubelen at La Traverse

First up this summer at La Traverse – a destination for creative happenings in Marseille’s Malmousque neighbourhood – is a solo show by artist Victor Siret, who adopted the French port city as his home in 2022. His embroidered canvases depict Marseille permeated by American motifs, as a desert-like fever dream of flattened buildings, signs and slogans visually informed by films and video games. Later in the summer, Brussels-based designer Arnaud Eubelen, who works ‘in the no man's land between sculpture and design’, reappropriates industrial materials to rewire their value, as part of a boutique-style exhibition for reading, exploring objects and listening to music.

Victor Siret: 14 May-4 July 2026 / Arnaud Eubelen: 11 July-26 September 2026
La Traverse, 16 Traverse Sainte-Hélène, 13007 Marseille

Design Parade

In 2026, the annual festival ‘Design Parade’ celebrates a double anniversary: 20 years of its product design competition and ten years of its interior design counterpart. Under the artistic direction of Julie Liger, this special edition takes over the entire 1920s Villa Noailles for the first time – where exhibitions of the ten finalists of both categories will be judged by two esteemed juries chaired by Sofia Lagerkvidt and Anna Lindgren of Front Design studio (product design) and Laura Gonzalez (interior design). The atmosphere further expands with scenographies by Joachim Jirou Najou; showcases by previous winners Thomas Takada, Simon Dupety and Malo Gagliardini; and ‘20+10: Design Parade Generation(s)’, a retrospective of Design Parade curated by David Giroire.

25 June-30 August 2026
Villa Noailles, 47 Mont de Noailles, 83400 Hyères, France

Pierre Paulin at the Musée Fabre

In Montpellier, the Musée Fabre presents a major retrospective of designer Pierre Paulin (1927-2009). In the context of post-war 20th-century French design, the exhibition reviews key milestones and iconic creations such as the ‘Mushroom’ chair (1960), ‘Ribbon’ chair (1966) and ‘Tongue’ chair (1967), which, once avant-garde, are now considered ‘classics’ of modernity. Working during the ‘Glorious Thirty’, Paulin blended Nordic and American influences, with fluid forms and an awareness of pop culture and aspirational lifestyles. Visitors can explore the ‘Élysée Smoking Room’, presented for the first time outside Paris since its restoration, and an immersive experience by Paulin, Paulin, Paulin and Sounds Like Paulin.

27 June-1 November 2026
Musée Fabre, 39 Bd Bonne Nouvelle, 34000 Montpellier

Paulin, Paulin, Paulin at Hauser & Wirth Monaco

Paulin, Paulin, Paulin, the Paris-based design studio expanding the legacy of Pierre Paulin, has curated a setting of furniture and art titled ‘Mise-en-scène’ that is in situ for the summer at Hauser & Wirth Monaco. Musical activations curated in collaboration with Sounds Like Paulin, the record label founded by Benjamin and Alice Paulin, will surround the ‘Déclive n°3’ recliner in orange; the geometric ‘Video Barnum’ seating with integrated speakers; and the modular ‘Chirac’ sofa alongside works by Andy Warhol, Alexander Calder and Rashid Johnson. Available to visit by appointment, the scene recontextualises Pierre Paulin’s heritage as a ‘living force’ for exchange in the vision of Paulin, Paulin, Paulin.

9 April-31 August 2026
Hauser & Wirth Monaco, One Monte-Carlo, Place du Casino, 98000 Monaco

Jean Prouvé at Fondation CAB

Paris-based 20th-century design specialist François Laffanour curates a selection of works by French architect, builder and designer Jean Prouvé, centring around the innovative ‘Coque’ and ‘Métropole’ prefabricated houses originally designed in Meudon. Their designs can be explored through photographic archives from the 1930s and dynamic architectural elements, presented alongside furniture including the ‘Cité’ bed, ‘Compas’ table, ‘Standard’ chair, ‘Antony’ armchair and ‘Marcoule’ bench. Step outside into the gardens to see one of Prouvé’s 6×6m demountable homes, and don’t miss the parallel exhibition of American artists Nassos Daphnis and Rita McBride.

14 March-31 October 2026
Fondation CAB Saint-Paul-de-Vence, chemin des Trious, 5766 Saint-Paul-de-Vence

Also read: Stay in Jean Prouvé’s 6x6 demountable house at Fondation CAB in south-east France

Aficionados of concrete construction will surely recognise the brutalist architecture of Étoiles d’Ivry. This monumental apartment building in the Parisian suburb of Ivry-sur-Seine was designed in 1975 by architects Renée Gailhoustet and Jean Renaudie, a sprawling complex of stepped terraces and jaunty angles, with a relentless palette of concrete offset by a vivid planting scheme.

Explore this brutalist duplex for sale

In fact, it’s as a piece of green urbanism that the scheme is usually remembered, rather than as an intimidating example of brutalism at its least human. The complex was under construction from 1971 to 1981, during which time Renaudie died and the late Gailhoustet (who died in 2023) completed the scheme.

Gailhoustet was a rare woman architect in post-war France, but her work has more than stood the test of time. Living in Ivry-sur-Seine until her death, she had worked in the town since 1969, when she was appointed Chief Architect for the renovation of the city centre.

As well as winning the 2022 Architecture Prize from the Royal Academy of Arts in London, specifically for her contribution to social housing in Franc, she was also awarded the French Ministry of Culture’s Lifetime Achievement Award later that year.

This modest 55.6 sq m sits on the top floor of the Marat building, one of 40 interlocking housing units that make up the complex along with office spaces, stores, a school and more. As well as two small sleeping spaces on the upper level (originally designed as a single bedroom), the duplex includes a study area and office on a half-landing, with the main living spaces on the entrance floor, reached via a sculptural staircase.

Here you’ll find a living room, lounge and dining area, as well as a compact kitchen and access to the 20 sq m terrace, complete with mature trees and views across the rest of the apartments. The apartment also comes with its own garage area. Ivry-sur-Seine has direct access to central Paris in 20 minutes thanks to the Line 7 metro and the RER C Line.

Gailhoustet and Renaudie’s vision was for mass housing integrated into the heart of the city centre, not isolated towers with no ground floor facilities. The buildings that make up the Étoiles d’Ivry complex all take a stepped, ziggurat-style approach, with a modular triangular grid system create a sense of consistency across the whole project.

From the balconies and terraces, down to ground floor planters, passageways and public areas, the whole complex remains an intriguing and inviting urban landscape.

This free approach to planning also plays out in the apartments themselves, which revel in unconventional plans and unexpected nooks and crannies.

The duplex is available from Architecture de Collection, priced at €315,000, for more information visit ArchitecturedeCollection.fr, @ArchitecturedeCollection

Last summer, Burberry took over The Newt in Somerset for a celebration of the ‘great British summer’. Cue sun loungers, golf buggies and a hot air balloon in the British fashion house’s signature check – even the 2,000-acre Somerset estate’s manicured croquet lawn had been cut into the motif.

For summer 2026, Burberry is heading further afield, leaving behind the fickle British climate (The Newt takeover ran with the playful tagline, ‘whatever the weather’), and heading towards the sun-soaked shoreline of the south of France. There, creative director Daniel Lee has put his stamp on the historic Hôtel Belle Rives in Antibes, just along the coastline from Cannes on the Côte d'Azur.

Burberry takes over Hôtel Belle Rives for summer

Founded in 1929, the art deco landmark began life as a guest house before being expanded into the current hotel, with early guests including F Scott Fitzgerald, who wrote part of his final novel Tender Is the Night at the then-Villa St Louis. Retaining much of its original 1920s decor, Hôtel Belle Rives – which features the Michelin-starred La Passagère and Fitzgerald Bar – is perhaps most notable for its terrace and jetty, where guests can sunbathe or swim in the Mediterranean waters.

It is here, in the ‘beach club’, that Burberry’s influence is most felt, its sun loungers and parasols reimagined in navy blue Burberry check, evocative of Hôtel Belle Rives’ signature hue. The motif also features across the hotel’s interiors – including with the original 1920s lift – while custom ‘Burberry Cap d’Antibes’ logos replace the jetty’s signage, as well as appearing across the back of the terrace’s deck chairs.

Elsewhere, expect Burberry-branded ice lollies, as well as a roster of activities organised by the house across the summer, including jetskiing, which was purportedly invented in Juan-les-Pins in the 1930s (Hôtel Belle Rives is situated in the historic resort, one of the various holiday spots on the Cap d’Antibes).

It is one of the various initiatives from the British house, which is perhaps most associated with the drizzly autumn and winter months, to put its stamp on the summer season. These also include a collaboration with swimwear label Hunza G (first founded in 1984, it was relaunched by Georgiana Huddart in 2015 and has developed a cult following), as well as a Ryan McGinley-shot High Summer campaign starring Simone Ashley and Tom Blyth at a British lido, a traditional outdoor swimming pool.

‘A lido holds a particular kind of nostalgia for the British,’ Lee said at the time. ‘The moment the sun comes out, we make the most of the weather. We wanted to bring to life a warm summer’s day spent in and around the water with friends.’

Burberry’s Hôtel Belle Rives takeover runs until 30 September 2026.

Hôtel Belles Rives, 33 Boulevard Edouard Baudoin, 06160 Antibes, France.

burberry.com

‘Qui est “in”? Qui est “out”?’ sang Serge Gainsbourg in his 1966 song of the same name. His lyrics immortalised the Bus Palladium as the epicentre of Paris nightlife, name-checking the ‘little guys from Liverpool’ and the explosive energy of Rue Fontaine. Opened in 1965 by 22-year-old bebop dancer James Arch, the club democratised live music by running shuttle buses to the suburbs – hence the name ‘Le Bus.’ It became, as Jane Birkin described it, a ‘mental laboratory’: a place where long-haired beatniks and suburban teenagers could rub shoulders with models and rock stars, where you could expect the unexpected, like bumping into Salvador Dalí leading a panther by a leash, say.

In spring 2026, Pigalle’s paradigmatic icon rises from the ashes, not just as a club, but as a boutique hotel. Thanks to an extensive makeover by Chapitre Six Hotels, the building has gained five new storeys, a sleek bar and restaurant and 35 vintage-inspired rooms, making it arguably the 9th arrondissement’s coolest stay.

Wallpaper* checks in at Hôtel Bus Palladium, Paris

What’s on your doorstep?

Once-gritty Pigalle has been the beating heart of Parisian nightlife since the 1800s. Though it was long a neighbourhood of ill-repute – a former red-light district where the main drag is still lined with neon sex shops and the iconic Moulin Rouge – today’s Pigalle is more chic than seedy. It is a neighbourhood in the midst of a bold transformation, and has been rapidly evolving into one of the most stylish corners of the city. To get a feel for it, head to Le Mansart, a 1950s-style café that’s permanently packed with locals and perfect for people-watching over a coffee or a beer. Fittingly for such a music-oriented stay, the Phono Museum is also on your doorstep and traces 140 years of sound recording history.

If you’re craving culture, the Musée de la Vie Romantique is a must, tucked away at the foot of Montmartre and housed in a charming green-shuttered villa. With a secret garden, a tearoom, and an impressive collection of romantic works, it captures the artistic spirit of 19th-century Paris. As for wining and dining, Pink Mamma is famous for its truffle pasta and rooftop views, Le Bon Georges offers a quintessential bistro experience, and Monkey Pigalle is a go-to for high-energy cocktails. For something more upmarket, seek out Onyx, a contemporary neo-brasserie delivering elevated French fare infused with global influences.

Who’s behind the design?

Having welcomed everyone from Jagger to The Beatles, Téléphone and Dalí, Paris-based Studio KO was tasked with reviving not just a building but a slice of musical history. Having previously tackled London’s Chiltern Firehouse and the iconic Yves Saint Lauren museum in Marrakech, the studio’s founders, Karl Fournier and Olivier Marty, are accustomed to working on sites that possess a unique sense of place. With Le Bus, they sought to balance heritage with high-end hospitality, honouring the club's long and legendary history by preserving its sensual and hedonistic atmosphere.

Though the club previously topped out at just two storeys, the duo added five floors during their four-year renovation, offering the space a new city-gazing rooftop with views to Sacré-Cœur and the Palais Garnier. Inside, the duo employed cork walls, bare ceilings and Afghan-style carpets in a nod to 1960s recording studios. The project is also overseen by artistic director, model and producer Caroline de Maigret, who chose the hotel’s signature amber-noted scent, dressed the staff in chic denim and corduroy uniforms and curated playlists which play in each room.

What are the standout design elements?

Studio KO’s rock-n-roll homage manifests long before you’ve entered your room. The club’s original red neon sign lights up the building’s new façade, which bears the imprint of the old lower-slung building, rendered in a sandy concrete mixed on-site to harmonise with the surrounding Haussmann-era stone. Inside, spaces reverberate with a dissonance that recalls the club’s storied clientele, as Velvet Goldmine-esque glamour rubs up against brutalist touches. Metal grating ceilings you’d typically find on technical runways and thick concrete walls are punctuated by Lynchian red velvet curtains and kaleidoscopic carpets.

The restaurant is arranged around a striking terrarium filled with wild ferns, and tables are lit by geometric pendant lights. Spotlights cast a theatrical glow along the corridors, illuminating witty touches such as door handles fashioned from microphone stems and vintage-style ‘On-Air’ sliders that signal either a request for service or a red ne pas déranger. Rooms lean into a 1970s style, with tulip coffee tables, salmon-pink carpets, mustard cord drapes and Bauhaus ‘SF 28’ hemisphere table lamps.

The room to book

No two rooms are alike. Entrusted to L’Œil de KO (Studio KO’s art gallery) and antiques dealer Antoine Billore, each is curated with unique artworks and vintage curiosities. Soundproofed walls, glass-enclosed bathrooms, and raw concrete ceilings remain constant, while most also feature cork-clad walls and headboards – a nod to Paris’ convalescent prodigy, Marcel Proust (the writer lined his bedroom walls with cork, combatting noise and allergy-aggravating dust), but also to 1960s recording studios. Bathrooms pop with electric blue tiling and Hollywood-style mirrors, while minibars are stocked with cocktails to mix yourself, craft beers, and an artisan selection of spirits. Which room to book depends on your priorities: if a place to lay your head is all you need, the small Supérieure is fine, though the integrated banquette and central table in my Deluxe Suite made it perfectly functional as a workspace. Those looking for a bathtub should opt for the Prestige Room, while the Suite Terrasse is the choice for those seeking outdoor access.

The headline act, however, is the Dalí Suite. At 70 sq m, it is the hotel’s largest, overlooking the street and the iconic red neon sign from its private balcony. The decor is full-throttle retro-futurism, anchored by a tangerine circular rug and a cognac leather De Sede banquette sofa that curves along its perimeter. It is a fluid, Kubrick-esque space featuring a glass-encased black marble bathroom that floats like a spaceship in the corner of the room. A Murphy bed – which can be folded away to transform the suite into a green room for touring musicians – is flanked by mirrored walls and a leopard-print headboard, and the space is peppered with midcentury design icons, from the black leather ‘Apollo’ lounge chair by Illum Wikkelsø to the brass-topped Henge ‘Galaxy’ coffee table.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

The restaurant is helmed by young Marseillais chef Valentin Raffali, a Top Chef France alum who brings an ethical, zero-waste philosophy to the table, ditching imported salmon for Basque Country trout and smoking his own bacon on-site. His eclectic, seasonal cuisine feels right at home here with inventive pairings like smoked white asparagus with Mara des Bois strawberries, pooled in a savoury chicken sauce that masterfully counteracts the fruit's sweetness. For mains, flavour-packed Gallic classics like vol-au-vent sit beside langoustine slathered in a spicy XO sauce. My dessert was a nostalgic chocolate mousse served in a vintage silver coupe and crowned with a single, lipstick-red cherry – almost too pretty to eat.

For breakfast, guests can choose a continental spread or upgrade to the Palladium option. The latter is worth it for the hash browns alone – served like thick-cut fries with a dipping sauce of creamy Gwell Breton cheese – though the pastries are also a revelation: oversized, flaky, and butter-soft, baked to perfection by Stéphanie Le Quellec.

The sustainable ambition extends to the bar, where all tonics, syrups, and cordials are made in-house. There are six signature cocktails alongside all the classics and a particularly well-considered mocktail list. The Chaussan, named after a legendary host of the original Le Bus, who ensured the club’s night-owl suburbanites got home safely, is a particular highlight: subtle, elegant, bubblegum pink and made with olive oil syrup, lemon juice, tomato liquor and basil-infused vodka. Grab a seat and on Thursday through to Saturday, live DJs spin in the restaurant, where the soundtrack is dictated by a formidable vinyl collection – half belonging to Bus Palladium’s original founder James Arch, the other to Jean-Charles Dupuy, the reigning 'King' of Parisian nightlife. Grab a seat at the bar to soak it all in, accompanied perhaps by a silver tower of pre-gig pommes frites.

Where to switch off

One doesn’t come to Le Bus to switch off, but rather to switch on. Though the rooms themselves are peaceful, the lower ground floor cranks up the volume, placing the storied concert hall at the very heart of the experience. Lionel Bensemoun, known for iconic venues like Le Baron and La Mano, acts as the head of programming, overseeing a varied roster of live acts from cabaret to film screenings, music and dance. His ambition is to foster the same sense of inclusivity as Arch did when he first opened the club, a task he deems extra important given the area’s gentrification. The layout remains faithful to the original club, but KO has added a hint of theatrics with a Persian-style carpeting covering the walls, silver lamé curtains, a smoking room decked in stainless steel and a mammoth disco ball hanging over it all.

The verdict

The eyeliner-smudged glamour of bygone days gets a second chance at Bus Palladium, a place that seems at once out of time and firmly of the present thanks to clever, sensual interiors by Studio KO. The food is inventive, the rooms are sexy and the staff are bracingly cool and brimming with joie de vivre. Given how busy it was during its opening week, I’d say the locals agree.

Hôtel Bus Palladium is located at 6 Rue Pierre Fontaine, 75009 Paris, France

For city dwellers, silence and solitude are a luxury. That burning desire to escape civilisation is a shared experience, surfacing the moment you step into a sensory-overloading mode of transport. It’s hard not to be lured by the idea of a change of scenery on a daily basis. In recent years, hospitality has leaned into this instinct; we've seen hotels expand their portfolios with sprawling villas and private residences. It’s a winning formula: combining the calm of a private home with the unrivalled allure of five-star service.

We’ve rounded up our favourite retreats, not only for their astonishing design and architecture, but for their generous sense of space, to inspire your next escape. It won’t take much convincing, though.

8 of the best design-led villas to rent this season

Amanoi Ocean Pool Residence (Vietnam)

In a secluded coastal area within Vietnam’s Núi Chúa National Park, a Unesco Biosphere Reserve an hour’s flight north-east of Ho Chi Minh City, Amanoi has been (like its name indicates) a ‘place of peace’ for over a decade. Last year (2025), the Jean-Michel Gathy-designed property began a tony new chapter with the unveiling of its 9,957 sq ft gracious Amanoi Ocean Pool Residence, featuring not only a private beach but also its own spa house. Accommodating up to eight guests, the architectural feat can be configured with two or three contemporary bedrooms, subtly camouflaged amid the lush, rugged surroundings. With a fully stocked minibar, daily champagne afternoon tea and other complimentary experiences such as a private barbecue, a Vietnamese cultural dinner, and a nightly movie screening by the pool with popcorn and ice cream, being a homebody may never feel this good again.

Amanoi is located at Commune, Vĩnh Hy, Vĩnh Hải, Khánh Hòa, Vietnam

Read our full review of Amanoi’s Ocean Pool Residence

.Here

Perched on a long sandbank within the Baa Atoll, a UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve, .Here takes the Maldivian resort in a more private, design-led direction, unfolding as Somewhere and Nowhere, two distinct stays with different intentions. Somewhere comprises seven expansive villas, while the soon-to-open Nowhere is reserved for full private hire with just two residences and its own dedicated facilities. Both sit within the Seaside Collection portfolio and are accessed via its sister property Finolhu, by a short boat transfer along the connecting sandbank. Rather than separating beach and overwater villas, the residences at Somewhere span the width of the sandbank, combining both in a single footprint. Guests can also choose to linger at Safar, the resort’s only restaurant and bar.

.Here is located at Kanufushi, Baa Atoll, 21002, Maldives

Read our full review of .Here

Magugu Suite at Mount Nelson (South Africa)

A couple of months ago, South African fashion designer Thebe Magugu, who founded his eponymous label in 2016, inaugurated a landmark collaboration with Belmond: the unveiling of the Thebe Magugu Suite and next-door Magugu House, a concept store and cultural space for creative exchange. The secluded two-storey suite unfolds as a visually charged Afro-modernist sanctuary, with views across Lion’s Head, the hotel gardens and Palm Avenue. A palette of invigorating greens, deep indigos, warm neutrals and earthy ochres anchors the space. Guests staying here can enjoy the wider amenities and facilities of Cape Town’s legendary ‘Pink Lady,’ from its two pools, tennis courts and a spa housed inside a trio of restored Victorian heritage homes.

Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, is located at 76 Orange St, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa

Read our full review of Magugu Suite

Santani (Sri Lanka)

Around an hour’s drive from Sri Lanka’s sacred city of Kandy sits Santani, the country’s leading wellness retreat designed by two-time winner of the Geoffrey Bawa Award for Excellence in Architecture, Thisara Thanapathy. Spanning 48 acres of hilly terrain, Santani’s paradisical grounds are cut through by the Hulu River, where daily swims are encouraged. This hilltop sanctuary recently added two villas to its esteemed lineup: a two-bedroom suite and a three-bedroom residence featuring self-contained kitchens, indoor and outdoor lounge spaces, and individual private infinity pools overlooking far-reaching valleys and pristine forests. Both structures utilise natural ventilation through careful design that eliminates the need for air conditioning. The result? Pure silence.

Santani is located at Arantenna Estate, Werapitiya, 20908, Sri Lanka

Read our full review of the new villas at Santani

Vale Palheiro (Portugal)

The Algarve’s beautifully wild, western corner has been smartening up its act with several new hotels and restaurants. Case in point is Vale Palheiro, an ‘Earth Resort’ designed with character and a real sense of place. The 13-villa property offers suites and casitas, each one different but all with glass-covered log fireplaces and outside spaces. Crowning the ensemble is the duplex Casa Taipa Villa 2, with a shower downstairs within exposed taipa, and a vast micro-cement bath upstairs, where you can wallow watching the shifting colours of the landscape. Guests get a real chance to switch off at Vale Palheiro: There is yoga and massage on request, and a large swimming pool with sun beds around it to while away the time. Its on-site restaurant, offering homespun local delights, is worth lingering in too.

Vale Palheiro Earth Resort is located at Rua Vale Palheiro, 8670-016 Aljezur, Portugal

Read our full review of Vale Palheiro Resort

Villas at Castiglion del Bosco, A Rosewood Hotel (Italy)

Over two decades ago, Massimo Ferragamo, the youngest son of Italian shoe designer Salvatore, and his wife Chiara chose the UNESCO-listed Val d’Orcia Natural Park in Tuscany for their passion project: transforming a 900-year-old country estate into a sensuous resort. Ancient castle ruins, a medieval church, and a borgo painted their perfect picture of a Tuscan paradise. Managed by Rosewood since 2015, the property today comprises 42 suites and 11 freestanding villas, which were restored from abandoned 17th- and 18th-century farmhouses and are dotted across the state. The largest one, Villa Biondi, is surrounded by cypress-lined fairways and includes Italy’s only private golf course. Guests can explore the expansive 5,000-acre property using the in-house Land Rover Defender, which connects various amenities, such as the Brunello di Montalcino winery, two restaurants, a cooking school, a tennis court, vast gardens, a spa, and a set of twin pools.

Castiglion del Bosco, A Rosewood Hotel is located at SP103, 53024 Castiglion del Bosco, Italy

Villas at Mas des Infermières (France)

In 1992, filmmaker Ridley Scott acquired Mas des Infermières, a 35-hectare wine estate in the sun-dappled commune of Oppède. Perched on the edge of a national park, at the foot of the Luberon massif, the estate introduced three rentable design-led villas in 2024. Originally farmhouses, the properties were meticulously restored by Scott alongside lead designers Pia Mclean and Chester Jones, who paid tribute to the region’s creative legacy. Across the residences – the three-bedroom Mas Marcou and Mas Gris, and five-bedroom Chênes Verts – Provençal warmth is conjured through reclaimed terracotta tiles, antique fireplaces salvaged from crumbling castles, and classic swing shutters. Each villa also benefits from its own private pool, outdoor seating and dining areas.

Mas des Infermières is located at 1575 Rte du Four Neuf, 84580 Oppède, France

Read our full review of the villas at Mas des Infermières

Vipp Pavilion (USA)

Danish lifestyle brand Vipp began offering bookable guesthouses around the world over a decade ago, from Denmark and Latvia to Mexico (winner of a Wallpaper* Design Award 2025) and Tasmania. Often located in spectacular remote settings, these retreats are furnished by Vipp and brim with the Scandinavian brand’s signature minimalism. The latest to join the roster is Vipp Pavilion, the group's first US property, located in the Upper Delaware River, a pristine 73-mile ribbon that separates New York state from Pennsylvania. The Johnston Marklee-designed two-bedroom guesthouse may total just 1,200 sq ft, but its clever layout, minimal decor and natural light pouring in through a series of skylights make it feel bright and airy. Naturally, Vipp’s monolithic ‘V3’ kitchen anchors the open-plan living space. There’s no television and no mobile phone reception (though there is WiFi), allowing visitors to completely shut themselves off from the world if they so choose.

Vipp Pavilion is located in Pond Eddy, New York

Read our full review of Vipp Pavilion

Christian Gimonet, who worked quietly in Bourges, a city in France's Loire Valley, for more than half a century, represents his own gentle expression of regional modernism. Throughout his long career, the architect seamlessly integrated his works into the centuries-old built environment of his hometown – his main, and almost only, creative playground.

Tour the work of French architect Christian Gimonet

Located 200km south of Paris, Bourges holds a special place in French history. Inhabited since the Gallic Wars between 58-50 BC, the city flourished during the Middle Ages. With its gothic masterpiece, the Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Bourges, at its heart, and half-timbered houses lining its narrow streets, the city still retains much of its historic character, so modern architecture might not be what visitors expect to see in such a context. Nevertheless, a handful of modern and contemporary works can be found, albeit with forms designed to blend perfectly with their period environment.

It is exactly such buildings – ones that mark a departure while also carving a harmonious relationship with their site – that were Gimonet's speciality. Born in 1935, Gimonet developed an interest in architecture during his teenage years, drawn to the works of Frank Lloyd Wright, Alvar Aalto and Le Corbusier. He remembers meeting François Gauchery, then a heritage architect in Bourges, who granted him access to restricted areas of the cathedral. ‘I think I wandered everywhere, inside and out. I saw storms rising on the horizon, and I took refuge there,' Gimonet is quoted as saying by his artist friend Joëlle Chauvin in her memoirs in 2023.

In 1954, Gimonet enrolled at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts and joined the workshop of Louis Arretche, while following courses led by Jean Prouvé. ‘He developed a lasting passion for Japanese literature and architecture, studying the plans of the Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto,' adds Chauvin. Gimonet continued studying in Paris under Paul Bossard and later worked for Roland Simounet in Algeria, before eventually meeting US architect Paul Rudolph in New Haven as part of a university exchange. He then settled down in Bourges in 1966, establishing his own atelier three years later and practising architecture until the late 2010s.

During his career, Gimonet played an important role in changing perspectives on modernism and architecture in general, shining a spotlight on climatic, cultural, urbanistic and environmental debates through his work. ‘Gimonet was one of the first architects in France to focus on the rehabilitation of industrial wastelands and to take a broader interest in ideas of urban heritage,' writes Elke Mittmann, director of the Maison de l'Architecture Centre-Val de Loire in Orléans, in a text to accompany an exhibition on Gimonet she curated in 2023. ‘Taking into account the history of a place, its morphology, and its geology, he opens up an even broader field of work, which Gimonet, following several authors, calls the genius loci. This approach is guided by a growing awareness, over the years, of the issue of sustainable development.'

In 1968, he built Maison Bouriant, a multi-use building in Bourges' historic heart. Its slate-covered pitched roof echoes the vernacular and tops an ingenious plan of commercial and residential areas across seven levels. The main commercial space communicates with the square through large glazing and contains a dramatic three-level showroom, which nods to the spatial influences of Wright and Rudolph. Gimonet's own atelier was located one floor above, and the top three floors served as home for him and his wife Jacqueline. The couple were very interested in the work of the modernist ceramic craftspeople in the nearby village of La Borne. Among them, Jean Lerat was a frequent collaborator, with his ceramic works appearing in several of Gimonet's projects, including his own apartment, where the kitchen counter's richly hued ceramic tiles complement the austerity of the concrete fireplace.

Decorating the space with a giant Isamu Noguchi ‘Akari' lamp and Mies van der Rohe ‘Barcelona' chairs, Gimonet embraced an organic sensibility, remembering some of his favourite sources of inspiration, including Wright and Aalto. Following Gimonet's death in 2023, Jacqueline gifted the apartment and its contents to the city of Bourges with the intention it be restored and opened as a cultural centre. Gimonet's designs merge seamlessly with their setting, creating a bridge between old and new, natural and human-made, and this can be witnessed in many of his projects in Bourges. However, an apartment building that he designed on the corner of Rue Bourdaloue and Rue Mac Donald, built in 1967, shows his experimentation with more radical modernist forms, though it's still in discreet cohabitation with the surrounding modest urban scale. Inside, the entrance hall is adorned with a series of ceramic totems created by Lerat.

For Le Dunois, an apartment building completed in 1977, Gimonet used a more contextual approach. A pitched roof and slate coverings mimic nearby buildings, while the entrance is dominated by a typographic mosaic, created by Gimonet, and a sculpture by Bernard Delagrange. More sensitively designed works across town include apartment buildings on Rue Bourbonnoux (1979) and a house on Place Planchart (2011). Later in his career, Gimonet also took an interest in social housing and low-cost schemes, resulting in a design for 34 houses near a golf club (2001) and the conversion of a former alderman's house on Place

Saint-Bonnet (2002), as well as row houses on Rue Heurtault de Lamerville (2006). ‘Working with the city services, he campaigned against uncontrolled urban sprawl, the waste of resources, indifference to the visual environment, and the mediocrity of certain projects,' writes Chauvin in her book. ‘In the 1960s, Gimonet travelled to the USA. He was fascinated by the houses of Frank Lloyd Wright; he visited almost all of them. The Jacobs First House in Wisconsin was a precursor of his bioclimatic homes, combining wood, stone, glass and metal, solar heating, carefully considered orientations, intimate spaces, and privileged views. These thoughtfully designed living spaces reinforced Christian Gimonet's architectural vision.'

The architect also worked within natural settings around Bourges, where Wright's influence can be found in his designs for countryside and suburban family houses and villas. In 1981, Gimonet created a house for the Thyrion family in the village of Pigny. The single-level residence reflects the American master's organic principles and features a gently pitched roof with a pronounced overhang. The dwelling is one of several by Gimonet, addressing a need for environmentally conscious and landscape-responsive houses.

Gimonet retired in 2018, at the age of 83. ‘He also had a huge passion for music,' says Jacqueline. ‘He listened to Radio Classique or France Musique while working and continued to listen to these stations until the end of his life, all the while revising his memoirs. He hoped to publish them. He worked on 510 studies and completed 229 of them, always adhering to the same exacting standards where beauty, respect for the site, and the thoughtful intimacy of spaces intersect and respond to one another.'

Film credits:
Director: Anna Fechtig @anna.fechtig & Seohee Cho @west__0429
Director of Photography :Seohee Cho @west__0429
Location Scouting & Research: Adam Štěch @okolo_architecture
Editor: Gaohao Basile Chen @el_gao
Colour: Grading @raphaelcapre
Music & Sound Design: @chengsso

Special Thanks to Jacqueline Gimonet

Marseille commuters can now double their exposure to the work of Ora Ïto. Not only has the locally born designer reshaped the layout of Place Castellane, one of the city's crucial intersections, he has also overseen the design of its new metro trains.

Place Castellane, which remains an interchange for the city's two metro lines below ground, was once also a busy traffic roundabout. Now it accommodates a tramline and a long limestone bench that follows the re-laid tram tracks, curving around the grand fountain sculpted by André-Joseph Allar between 1911-1913.

As well as reshaping what he calls the ‘city's nerve centre' with engineering group Egis and urban planners STOA, Ïto has worked with rail system manufacturer Alstom to bring the metro rolling stock up to date as it moves towards a driver-free system.

‘I had complete creative freedom,' says Ïto. ‘I was absolutely a huge fan of the old Marseille metro, designed by Philippe Neerman in the 1970s, so I was quite stressed about having to redesign something I already loved.'

There are hints of the era's bold French public design. Says Ïto, ‘We imagined it as a moving lounge, with warm tones, light materials, fluid, minimal seats, and circular handrails that are both functional and playful.'

This sector of transportation design can be complex and legislation-heavy but Ïto was already familiar with it following his work on the Nice tramway, also with Alstom. ‘An automatic metro is an extremely complex machine,' he says. ‘There are technological, structural and engineering constraints, as well as very strict safety regulations.'

From above, Place Castellane resembles an unblinking eye, opening up the city while also providing a discrete, pedestrian-focused public space. The updated metro appears similarly transformed, concealing the complexities of safety, resilience and automation with what Ïto describes as ‘a soft and recognisable face with a very distinctive light signature'.

‘It's been a great source of pride to have been able to bring these projects to Marseille, the city of my heart, where I spent much of my childhood,' he concludes.

ora-ito.com, @ora_ito

In the heart of Cap Ferret – a quaint oyster village situated on France’s west coast often dubbed the French Hamptons – Hôtel Villa Colette has just opened its doors, marking the first outpost of the Utopik Collection outside of Paris. The brainchild of French entrepreneur Laurent Taïeb and designer Philippe Starck, also behind Maison Heler Metz and Brach Madrid, the two long-time friends set out to capture what they call a ‘happy nostalgia,’ their poetic interpretation of a destination which they are deeply tied to.

‘We wanted to bring something special, and we designed Hôtel Villa Colette as if our friends and I were going to be the future guests,’ says Starck, who is not a stranger to the area.

Down the street, Starck owns a home where he spends much of his time with his wife and daughter. ‘I have been living here for 45 years now, which has felt like 45 years in paradise. It is a magical place that perfectly embodies the French spirit,’ he says.

The first 5-star hotel in Cap Ferret, Hôtel Villa Colette is a welcome addition to the limited hospitality landscape on the peninsula, which has long been known as a discreet hideaway for the rich and famous. With just 28 rooms, the property is designed as an intimate hideaway, a sort of secondary home that guests will want to return to over and over again.

Wallpaper* checks in at Hôtel Villa Colette, Cap Ferret

What’s on your doorstep?

Just a few steps from Hôtel Villa Colette is the main shopping street, lined with independent boutiques offering everything from laid-back surfer fashion to niche labels, design furniture and art galleries, and restaurant shacks and cafés perfect for a casual bite.

On one side of the peninsula, the calm waters of the Arcachon Basin; on the other, the wild Atlantic Ocean, where surfers can catch waves over two metres tall. For guests eager to discover the bay from the water, the hotel can arrange private boat charters with a skipper. A stop at the Dune of Pilat is an absolute must – the tallest sand dune in Europe – bordered by the bay on one side and an expansive pine forest on the other, before docking at an oyster shack, the most famous of which is La Cabane Hortense, for a platter of fresh oysters farmed a few metres from the restaurant.

Who’s behind the design?

Starck may be the creative force behind the interiors of Hôtel Villa Colette, but the project is, at its core, a shared vision between the designer and Taïeb.

‘My vision for Villa Colette began with my fascination for the elegance and singularity of French actresses from the 1930s to the 1950s. I imagined the story of one of these great actresses: at the end of her career, she leaves her Parisian apartment on Avenue Foch, to retreat to the countryside, settling into a humble house near the beach, in an oyster-farming village,’ explains Starck.

‘She repaints the interior of her home in soft tones – faded powder pink, very pale lemon yellow – creating an intimate and soothing space. Throughout the house, she scatters her memories: fragments of her life as an actress, family mementoes, traces of a rich past that inhabit the space,’ he continues.

The opening space – part lobby, part foyer, part bar – perfectly embodies Starck’s vision, with paper flower bouquets, geometric cushions, ruched lampshades, a wood-burning stove and a Klein piano from the 1950s.

In the dining room, reminiscent of a Spanish patio, the eye is immediately drawn toward an open kitchen framed by a still life by the Parisian classical painting house Troubetzkoy. Above, a retractable glass roof opens up on warm summer nights, allowing guests to dine beneath the stars.

The room to book

The hotel features 28 rooms and suites, each carrying through the same design language, from the classic rooms to the Prestige Suites spanning over 55 sq m. Every room includes an outdoor space – a garden on the ground floor or a balcony overlooking the bay or pine trees on the first floor. For the best view and stunning sunrises, book one of the two Cap Ferret Prestige Suites, looking out over the square and the bay.

Washed in powder pink, the rooms feel light and airy. Beige furnishings, mahogany headboards and side tables, pink-and-grey veined marble, and touches of stainless steel create a cohesive aesthetic. Mirrors hung on the wall frame photographs of Cap Ferret landscapes enhanced by AI, bringing to life a dreamlike version of the destination.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

The on-site restaurant led by chef Benjamin Six adopts a culinary approach designed to complement the peninsula’s existing offerings, rather than compete with other local restaurants. The cuisine leans international, with strong Asian influences, resulting in dishes that feel both creative and bold in flavours.

From breakfast to Sunday brunch, lunch, tea time, and dinner, the restaurant offers a variety of experiences, ensuring guests never feel limited in choice.

At the bar, order one of the five signature cocktails or a non-alcoholic creation. Drinks are crafted using syrups made from local pine and spirits infused with regional flowers – subtle nods to the surrounding landscape, captured in a glass.

The verdict

It was almost inevitable that Philippe Starck would lend his name to such a deeply personal project in a destination he knows and loves so well. From the moment guests step onto the property, they are transported into Starck’s universe: a dreamlike hallucination that feels perfectly at home in Cap Ferret.

Hôtel Villa Colette is located at 39 Bd de la Plage, 33970 Lège-Cap-Ferret, France

The beauty of a spa, beyond your leaving feeling reborn, lies in its ability to offer an escape from the noise of the world – and Hôtel Costes’ new spa does exactly that. Located in Paris’ 1st arrondissement, just steps from the vibrant Rue Saint-Honoré, the Parisian hotel’s subterranean spa has unveiled a new look defined by ambient lighting, gentle geometry, and a soothing colour palette.

Hôtel Costes unveils its new spa

The project was spearheaded by interior architecture and design studio Liaigre, which worked in close partnership with the hotel’s founder, Jean-Louis Costes. Upon entering the reinvigorated space, visitors will find a 1,000 sq m spa, featuring a 20m swimming pool, eight treatment rooms, and a fitness area.

Much like the spa’s holistic ethos – developed alongside the team from skincare specialist Augustinus Bader – the interior materiality is honest and noble, comprising a mix of travertine, smoked oak, lacquer, and liquidambar. While these materials were selected to reflect the hotel as a whole, they also unite soothing elegance and functionality in a refined balance.

The architectural framework centres on light and touch. From its entrance, set at the base of a bifurcated staircase, a marble reception desk greets visitors, while a Dolby Atmos sound system channels a calming, immersive audio landscape.

The heated swimming pool acts as an inviting lagoon – whether for laps or simply to drift in its oxygen-enriched waters. Wood daybeds and cocooned relaxation areas deepen the sense of retreat. The eight treatment rooms are designed to accommodate therapies tailored by Augustinus Bader’s specialists, set along hushed corridors to ensure privacy.

The spa is the latest chapter in a wider project initiated in 2015, when Jean-Louis Costes commissioned Christian Liaigre to redesign Hôtel Lotti and unify it with Hôtel Costes and a third property, Le Costes. Drawing on the spirit of Parisian private mansions, the design firm has sought to create an airy, loft-like environment for Hôtel Costes.

Says Christophe Caillaud, president of Liaigre: ‘We approached the redesign of the spa with the same discipline that defines Liaigre – careful attention to proportion, light, and material – ensuring the space feels calm, coherent, and true to our enduring design language.’

Hôtel Costes is located at 7 Rue de Castiglione, 75001 Paris, France

The ritual of a café au lait sipped from a Haussmannian-style terrace is so ingrained within Parisian daily life that it’s taken a few years for the French capital to open up to a new crop of artisanal roasters. Refreshingly, an adventurous wave of new-gen designers hasn’t been shy to offer their take on the spatial side of what constitutes this sacred tradition. From Crosby Studios’ brutalist poetry at Café Nuances in the Marais to Uchronia’s vibrant take on traditional Korean hanok houses at Café Shin near Palais-Royal. Now it’s local architect and designer Sophie Dries to shine (quite literally) with her gleaming Quartz Café.

Inside Quartz café, Paris

Dries’ first speciality coffee shop is first and foremost an ode to the 7th arrondissement, where her studio has been based for the past six years and where, before this, she had honed her skills, including a stint at Christian Liaigre’s studio on rue de Grenelle. Like Café de Flore was once a meeting point for intellectuals, artists, and writers of the 20th century, Dries hopes Quartz Café will be that for the present-day design world, inspiring conversation and collaboration.

As its name suggests, the bijou spot reflects Dries’ affinity with the mineral world, which, alongside natural wonders, frequently informs her aesthetic and material vocabulary: pyrite used for andirons, selenite for a fragrance diffuser created with D’Orsay, gypsum candleholders... This fascination extends to the cafe’s technical side, integrating a highly advanced water filtration and remineralisation system that uses dolomite containing quartz, which releases magnesium and calcium at the end of the process.

From the outside, windows dressed in pleated café-style curtains treated with a bleach tie-dye process conceal an intimate cove-like venue defined by natural light and soft tones. Inside, a Corten steel floor perfectly complements a counter referencing the contemporary boudoir-like Octa bar, which the architect and designer presented at the Mobilier National last autumn (2025). Dries’ Styx mirror also makes a comeback, this time revisited with passementerie details. While there is no seating inside, a sleek red plywood bench awaits outside.

Spot skilled baristas wearing aprons by L/Uniform preparing drinks using utensils that continue the café’s metallic themes: cupping spoons, milk pitchers, trays, and Italian-style napkin dispensers (or portatovagliolo). Service here is accompanied by silver and Baccarat crystal accessories alongside soothing tunes transmitted from a custom sound system by Matéo Garcia.

The almost alchemistic attention to detail extends to the suppliers selected for the project. Brews are concocted using beans from local speciality coffee roaster Partisan, while matcha originates from Kyoto, via Komā. Dries also tapped catering duo Toutia to conceive pastries defined by telluric textures and mineral oxidations: cocoa sablés, date fondant, yuzu mochi, and black sesame biscuit.

Quartz Café is located at 36 Rue de Bellechasse, 75007 Paris, France

Having trained in Nancy within a milieu of metalworking, Jean Prouvé preferred the title constructeur, which accounts for the name of Fondation CAB’s exhibition: not Jean Prouvé, architecte, but inventeur de maisons (‘Jean Prouvé, Inventor of Houses’ runs until 31 October 2026)

Designed in 1944, the 6x6 demountable house belongs to the first phase of France’s reconstruction, when bomb damage across Lorraine and Alsace left hundreds of thousands without shelter and the newly established Ministry of Reconstruction and Urbanism began commissioning housing that could be produced quickly and in volume. Prouvé’s answer was a house that could be brought in parts and raised by hand, without disturbing the ground more than necessary.

Jean Prouvé at Fondation CAB

At Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Fondation CAB occupies a midcentury building, a Mediterranean modernist villa. Its programme brings together minimal and conceptual art with 20th-century design – and it has a Jean Prouvé 6x6 house in the garden; the exhibition, organised with Laffanour Galerie Downtown, positions the 6x6 demountable house as part of a longer sequence of making and construction.

Inside, a chronological wall sets out Prouvé’s work with the clarity of a workshop record: forged iron doors for the 1925 Exposition des Arts Décoratifs; entrance grilles produced for Robert Mallet-Stevens; the founding of the Ateliers Jean Prouvé in Nancy in 1931; the Maison du Peuple in Clichy (1935), where folded steel sheet becomes structural; wartime barracks and the axial frames developed for SCAL in Issoire (1940); the aluminium structures of the Maison Tropicale (1949), with a double roof and brise-soleil regulating air before it enters the interior; and, later, the modular petrol stations developed for Total (1969-70).

Prouvé’s 6x6 demountable solution for emergency shelter reduced the house to a frame and a set of panels, dimensioned for easy transport and assembly; it could be put up in a day by three people, or four if you wanted to move quickly. Prouvé furnished his houses as carefully as he made them, not as an afterthought but to suggest how a life might be enjoyed inside them; his father, Victor Prouvé, belonged to the École de Nancy, and functional things, in his view, still had to please the eye.

Hubert Bonnet, founder of Fondation CAB (whose programme extends into Les Maisons CAB as a set of houses and rooms available for stays), describes the attraction: 'What first struck me about him was this rare ability to reconcile constructive rigour with formal clarity. In Prouvé’s work, the structure never hides; it becomes the very language of the object or the architecture. That honesty, almost radical, spoke to me immediately.'

A second Prouvé house from 1958 is being prepared for installation at Clos Saint-François in Saint-Paul de Vence, a property that includes a 19th-century farmhouse formerly owned by the family behind La Colombe d’Or and is now part of Les Maisons CAB’s network of places to stay. The house is the first prototype in a series developed with Claude Prouvé between 1958 and 1962, with the Maison Gauthier among its later examples.

Bonnet describes that continuity in terms close to Prouvé’s own: 'Over time, that attraction became a conviction. His approach –at once industrial, functional, and deeply human – resonates strongly with the way I conceive places. It is not simply about design, but about a way of thinking through use, durability and precision.'

'Within the houses we present today through Fondation CAB, this influence is present in a natural way. Not as a fixed reference, but as a spirit,' he concludes. That spirit has less to do with homage than with taking art and design out from behind glass, widening its company.

More than 70 years after the 6x6 house was first assembled, the force of Prouvé’s work still speaks to a desire for self-reliance, especially at a moment when so much of daily life is engineered and outsourced for ease and low resistance. Bonnet’s wager feels unexpectedly exact: that people still want contact with things that ask something of them, and forms of hospitality that return art and design to the grain of ordinary life.

What Les Maisons CAB offers, in that sense, is not fantasy but re-entry; a chance to sleep, sit and eat among works meant for lived experience. In Saint-Paul-de-Vence, that promise runs from the Prouvé house in the garden to Charles Zana’s guest rooms and the restaurant, into Charlotte Perriand’s furniture.

If there’s one thing that Wallpaper* does well, it’s houses – spotlighting architecturally arresting gems from around the globe and spanning the spectrum of modern design. Our inboxes are overflowing with news of the world’s most boundary-pushing architectural projects, and we strive to bring you the very best.

To ensure you don’t miss a thing – and to showcase the scope of residential architecture today – we’ve launched a monthly series: The Architecture Edit. Each instalment will highlight our favourite houses of the month: buildings that demonstrate creative planning, innovative methods and, of course, aesthetic excellence. Here are the best new houses of March 2026.

A house between mountains

Set between Brazil’s Serra do Mar and Serra da Mantiqueira mountains, Valley House is architect Beatriz Meyer’s family home. Built on a rural plateau, the single-storey, horizontal structure is designed to blend into its landscape rather than dominate it. It’s divided into three volumes using glass, stone and carbonised timber, balancing transparency and solidity, while open-plan interiors emphasise light, airflow and connection to nature with pergolas and apertures framing views. The house embodies Meyer’s vision of calm, sustainable living, rooted in place.

Read about it here.

A Gujarat behemoth

Amaltash, a 12,000 sq ft home in Navsari, India, combines technical precision with cultural meaning. Designed by Veeram Shah, it embodies Le Corbusier’s idea of the home as both a ‘machine for living’ and a space rich in symbolic meaning. Climate-responsive design drives its form, with solar strategies shaping layout, patios cooling interiors, and large windows – the house operates as a micro-ecosystem, with rainwater harvesting and greenery replacing lawns. At the same time, it draws on Gujarati traditions. Crafted with local materials and artisan collaborations, Amaltash merges sustainability and heritage.

Read about it here.

A Canadian forest retreat

Nestled in British Columbia’s Coast Mountains, the Passive House Forest Retreat is a highly sustainable home designed to rigorous environmental standards. Its treehouse-like structure sits lightly on a forested slope, featuring a cantilevered volume that frames expansive views while creating a sheltered space below. Dark cladding and natural materials allow it to blend with its surroundings, while precise construction ensures top-tier energy performance. Interiors, meanwhile, complement the architecture with refined detailing and sculptural lighting.

Read about it here.

An unusual floorplan

Trim House in Vilnius, Lithuania, is a striking triangular residence shaped by unexpected planning restrictions. Originally designed larger, the project was reduced by 40 per cent after new regulations limited building size. Rather than compromise, architect Robert Konieczny reimagined the design into a compact, angular form centred around a courtyard. A spiral staircase leads to upper-level bedrooms and a terrace, while expanded outdoor space improves daylight and connection to the surroundings. The enforced ‘trimming' ultimately enhanced the project, proving constraints can inspire innovative architectural solutions.

Read about it here.

A modernist landmark

Designed in 1946 by Rudolph Schindler, the Kallis-Sharlin Residence is a modernist hillside home in Los Angeles. Built into a slope overlooking the San Fernando Valley, its layered volumes, terraces and glass walls blur indoor and outdoor boundaries, and distinctive features include a butterfly roof, clerestory lighting and rich materials like mahogany and Douglas fir. Recently restored and listed for sale at $6.35 million, this cultural monument stands as a lasting example of a modernist architecture that harmonises innovation, landscape and human experience.

Read about it here.

A bright red villa

Villa Jevany in the Czech Republic boldly contrasts its forest setting with a vivid red façade. Designed by Architektura, the house intentionally stands out rather than blending in, creating a dialogue between man-made form and nature. Built into a sloping site, it appears single-storey from the road but reveals additional levels below. Inside, a central staircase leads to a spacious living area with forest views, while irregular windows reference abstract art. Divided into active and quiet zones, the home balances striking visual identity with functional, family-oriented design.

Read about it here.

A timber house

Orchard House in Cheshire exemplifies thoughtful rural architecture. Designed by Studio Bark under strict UK planning rules, the home demonstrates exceptional design quality while remaining modest and energy-efficient. Its S-shaped plan spans two levels, with living spaces elevated for views across a restored orchard. Timber construction, passive design strategies and local materials reduce environmental impact, including parquet flooring made from a tree on-site. Over time, the house has blended into its landscape, aided by weathered cladding and revived planting, now representing a balance between contemporary, sustainable living and deep connection to place.

Read about it here.

A traditional Kyoto residence

House in Narutaki is a sensitive renovation of a traditional Sukiya-style home in Kyoto by kooo architects. Respecting strict preservation norms, the design maintains the building’s historic character while adapting it for modern living. Original tatami spaces were reconfigured into three flowing zones, including a garden room and connecting passage, while natural materials, sliding doors and handcrafted details preserve cultural authenticity. The result is a calm, minimalist home that honours Japanese tradition while providing a refined, contemporary living experience.

Read about it here.

A Jacques Couëlle-designed home

This organic modernist home near Cannes, originally designed by Jacques Couëlle in the 1960s, has been carefully refreshed by Miriam Frowein Interiors. Distinctive for its sculptural, fluid forms, the house exemplifies Couëlle’s ‘architecture-sculpture’. The renovation respects his vision, using organic shapes, earthy tones and handcrafted elements throughout, as well as mid-century-inspired furnishings to complement rather than compete with the architecture. The design approach allows the building’s expressive form to remain central while enhancing comfort and livability for contemporary use.

Read about it here.

A hidden island escape

Euthea, a house on the Greek island of Meganisi, is designed to disappear into its landscape. Created by Ateno Architecture Studio, it is partially buried and covered by earth, making it nearly invisible from above. As the first structure on its peninsula, the project prioritises minimal environmental impact – built with local stone and earthy tones, it blends seamlessly with its surroundings. Interiors are arranged to frame sea views, enhancing the sense of isolation and immersion in nature. Even functional elements, like a brass drainage pipe, are treated poetically, reinforcing the home’s quiet, thoughtful integration.

Read about it here.

Welcome to the fifth instalment of Wallpaper's video series, The Stuff That Surrounds You. Watch as we're invited into the intriguing and idiosyncratic homes of creatives and makers (including, so far, Veronica Ditting, Yasmin Sewell, Glenn Sestig and Michael Anastassiades), catching a glimpse of their interior lives via the objects with which they surround themselves, all of which tell a story.

Erwan Bouroullec, known for his innovative, minimalist approach to furniture, interiors and industrial design, is based in Paris. But when he needs to create, he retreats to his remote estate in the Burgundy countryside. ‘I’ve been living in Paris for 35 years, but I kind of needed another place in the countryside,’ he says. ‘I needed space to work, to experiment, to try things out.’

What he and his wife (and their dog, Patapouf) discovered was an abandoned farm building, steeped in history. Rather than erase what was there, they chose to ‘layer’ their life onto it, working with LVA Architects to preserve and respect its original elements. Much of the house’s existing features and materials were retained, with a few contemporary interventions added on. ‘The best interior you could ever have is [one where you’ve done] as little as possible,’ says Bouroullec. ‘Keep every tiny sign of the past. Add what you need to add, but don’t remove anything else.’

Part sanctuary, part laboratory, the space he has created – known as La Grange – is a hive of design experimentation. Tractors, tools, woodwork, even the grass – everything becomes a ‘toy’ to explore, manipulate and learn from, says the designer. ‘When I’m here, I’m building quickly, roughly, but always looking for truth in the roughness,’ he reflects. ‘It’s grounded, necessary and playful.’

For Bouroullec, who has worked with major brands such as Vitra, Magis and Alessi – and in creative collaboration with his brother Ronan until 2023 – design is more than inspiration, it’s ‘incredibly mandatory for everyday life’. He believes spaces should offer as much stimulation as possible; sterility, in his view, is ‘harmful to your body’.

At La Grange, he surrounds himself with objects that become small ‘treasures’, inviting interaction, curiosity and wonder. These include pieces sourced from around the globe – a minimal, colourful, geometric paper box discovered in Korea, flea-market finds, and design icons like the oversized, crumpled-paper ‘Maap’ lamp he designed for Flos, as well as objects made in his own workshop, such as a wooden stool, alongside his own paintings.

‘I love contrast,’ says Bouroullec. ‘Minimal with something dirty, geometry with natural imperfection. It creates tension, it creates life.’ This sensibility runs through his work, which spans furniture to coding experiments. Take, for example, the ‘Mynt’ chair, which he developed with Vitra (and which he discussed with Wallpaper* when the design was released last year), which resides at La Grange. It blurs the line between a domestic and a task chair. ‘I tried to design it like a bike,’ Bouroullec explains. ‘If your body is in a bad position, your brain won’t feel at ease. Objects become beautiful when the user shapes them through interaction.’

Elsewhere in the designer's studio are new projects such as the Samsung Music Studio 5, developed in collaboration with the tech company – a wireless speaker conceived as a soft, circular form, intended to feel like furniture rather than a piece of machinery (announced at CES 2026, it’s not yet for sale in the UK).

A visit to La Grange makes evident that, whether crafting a high-tech speaker or reimagining a centuries-old fisherman’s tool, Bouroullec holds fast to a single belief: that design is a fluid, living and ever-evolving practice.

A film by Divided by One for Wallpaper*
Director: Nick Ballón
Director of photography: Jorge Luis Dieguéz
Sound recordist: Alban Lejeune
Editor: Todd MacDonald
Music and sound design: Joe Zeitlin
Colourist: Paul Willis
Producer: Clara Perrotte
Wallpaper* head of video: Sebastian Jordahn

A right turn from Rue de Sèvres onto Avenue de Saxe reveals classic Haussmann Paris: pale stone façades, wrought-iron balconies and the Eiffel Tower hovering in the distance. At the far end of the street, however, number 55 shifts the mood. A 1900 façade, sculpted with caryatids and Republican emblems, glows in a theatrical wash of red. It’s Hôtel Sax Paris – a flash of high-octane energy that’s hard to resist. The guest experience begins in The Galerie, lined with 200 mirrors and Baccarat chandeliers, before guests check into what is the debut of Hilton’s LXR Hotels & Resorts brand in France.

Wallpaper* checks in at Sax Paris, LXR Hotels & Resorts

What’s on your doorstep?

Staying in the 7th arrondissement, culture is around every corner. Fancy a cinematic stroll? The lawns of the Champ de Mars await. In search of a masterpiece? The Musée Rodin – home to The Kiss (1882) and The Thinker (1904) – and the Bourdelle Museum are both close by. Shopping? Head for Le Bon Marché, where high fashion sits alongside gourmet delicacies. And for a perfectly acceptable cliché, order a café au lait at one of the city’s most storied coffeehouses, Café de Flore.

Who is behind the design?

Owned and developed by Compagnie de Phalsbourg, Sax Paris was conceived in-house under the vision of Karine Journo. Inside the restored 1899 Neo-Gothic building, once the Ségur telephone exchange, Journo layered electric hues and whimsical gestures over a base of noble materials: Panda White marble, oak timber, Baccarat crystal and velvet.

‘Our intention was to restore a sense of majesty and revive the splendour of French architecture while fully modernising the experience,’ Journo tells Wallpaper*. Beyond the audacious interiors, a French-style garden by Studio Ravn adds a romantic counterpoint to the hotel’s château-like drama.

The room to book

Varying in shape and size, the hotel’s 118 rooms are a reflective wonderland, sporting custom-made oak furniture, cast-bronze handles, rough-hewn marble tabletops, and graphical carpeting. Mirrors were strategically fitted to some windows to capture views of the Eiffel Tower, while others overlook the inner courtyard, known as the Sax Garden. Rotating minibar monoliths, finished with a hand-chiselled texture, are stocked with favourites from Le Bon Marché’s La Grande Épicerie de Paris. Three signature suites – The Studio, The Winter Garden Suite and The Signature Suite – include bar stations equipped for mixing your own cocktails, along with complimentary chauffeur services.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

An outpost of the hard-to-book Kinugawa brand sits at the top of the hotel, where dinner is served against the backdrop of a shimmering Eiffel Tower. The plush setting – upholstered in tones of golden brown, salmon and muted orange – has quickly become one of the city’s buzziest tables. Executive chef David Maroleau dishes up Franco-Japanese creations, from gratinated clams with white miso, yuzukosho cream and panko to beef fillet with shiso Béarnaise.

Downstairs, flashy and glitzy, Sax Restaurant and Bar features a ceiling mural by street artist Sto, referencing the building’s historic République Française insignia. Order the cordon bleu with a glass of bubbles and share it beneath the twinkle of an otherworldly chandelier by Italian artist Christian Pellizzari, hand-blown in Murano.

Where to switch off

The subterranean Sax Le Club Fitness & Spa pairs Technogym equipment with a sauna, hammam and treatment rooms for massages and facials. Beyond the spa, the concierge can arrange Rive Gauche experiences – such as a private pontoon cruise on the Seine – alongside designer bicycles and personalised pet-friendly services. During warmer days, you can soak in Le Jardin’s heated outdoor pool and Jacuzzi.

The verdict

There’s no denying Sax Paris has personality. Its aesthetic may diverge from the traditional codes of Parisian five-star hospitality, but the service is every bit as polished and attentive.

Sax Paris, LXR Hotels & Resorts is located at 55 Av. de Saxe, 75007 Paris, France

Works such as this Jacques Couëlle-designed home in the South of France helped coin the name of its genre, 'architecture-sculpture' – and it's easy to see why. The flowing, organic-inspired house features intense curves and an abundance of sun-drenched terraces, gleaming under the Mediterranean sun. The project, located in a village high above Cannes, was originally completed in the early 1960s, making it a rare build by this unconventional modernist architecture representative. The residence has now just been given a sensitive 21st-century refresh, courtesy of Miriam Frowein Interiors.

Step inside this reimagined Jacques Couëlle-designed home

The home is one in a complex of just six remaining residences designed by Couëlle (1902-1996). Frowein met the current owner at an event at the nearby Fondation Maeght in Mougins. They soon embarked on an interiors scheme together, working with the house's powerful and idiosyncratic architecture to bring it to the 21st century through a delicate, context-driven approach.

'A house conceived by Jacques Couëlle demands a particularly sensitive approach. His architecture is so expressive and sculptural that it naturally becomes the protagonist of any design narrative. Rather than attempting to reinterpret or compete with it, my intention was to quietly reinforce its organic language and allow its uniqueness to shine,' says Frowein.

She continues: 'The residence in [the village of] Castellaras, built in the late 1950s and early 1960s, embodies the spirit of the Mid-Century period. In response, I selected a kidney-shaped sofa by Pierre Augustin Rose — a form strongly associated with that era. Its soft curves subtly echo the fluid geometry of the architecture. Upholstered in a refined bouclé, blending gently into its surroundings so that the architectural forms remain visually dominant.'

'For the dining area, natural oak was chosen by me for both the table and chairs. The softly contoured edges and warm materiality complement the sculptural envelope of the house without introducing unnecessary contrast. Every furnishing was selected with the intention of continuity – organic lines, tactile surfaces, and restrained elegance. Ultimately, the concept is one of dialogue rather than intervention: a quiet interior landscape that follows the rhythm of Couëlle’s vision, ensuring that architecture and furniture exist as one harmonious expression.'

Working with a building of such a strong character might have been a challenge for some but for Frowein it felt a natural fit, the designer explains. 'The openness and trust of the villa’s owner, who became a friend, combined with the strong architectural direction of Jacques Couëlle, made this project feel natural rather than challenging. A house of such sculptural clarity already provides its own guidance. It becomes difficult only when an interior designer’s ego attempts to compete with the architecture instead of listening to it.'

'I approached the project with deep respect for Couëlle’s genius. His organic forms, carved volumes, and flowing transitions shaped every design decision. The abundant influx of natural light reveals the tactile elements of the house throughout the day. The stunning tiling in each room is so expressive that it almost insists on remaining uncovered. There was no need to lay extensive rugs out. The only exception is a small, organically shaped rug beneath the coffee table, featuring nuanced tones of brown and soft yellow. It introduces warmth and subtle depth without interrupting the architectural language.'

Frowein leaned into the earthy atmosphere of the house, adding artisan-made table lamps, handcrafted elements and natural materials. As a result, nothing feels at odds with the home's unusual volumes or out of place.

'Interestingly, the interior concept evolved very intuitively. Extensive research felt unnecessary, as the 1960s — my preferred period of the last century — is a design language I know intimately. Its forms, materials, and proportions are deeply familiar to me, so the process was less about investigation and more about thoughtful implementation,' she explains.

The designer-and-client team's desire to maintain the home's existing identity and its architect's pure intention was critical in their choices throughout. Natural fibres were used for all fabrics, such as bouclé, linen, and soft woven textiles. This blended well with the brown, crème and gold tones chosen for the soft furnishings. Ceramics feature heavily too, underlining the home's connection with the land. It all feels cohesive and purposeful.

And does Frowein have a favourite spot in her project? 'The mural on the main door in the dining room is, without question, my favourite element of the house. Its abstract motif and layered bronze finishes create a powerful yet nuanced focal point within the space,' she says.

'What makes it so compelling is the way the patinated bronze captures and reflects the changing light throughout the day — sometimes glowing warmly, at other times appearing almost shadowed and sculptural. The materiality feels deeply connected to the earthy palette of browns and crème tones used throughout the interior. Rather than functioning merely as a decorative feature, the mural reads as an extension of the architecture itself — almost like a piece of integrated sculpture. It embodies the house’s spirit: expressive, artisanal, and rooted in material authenticity.'

miriamfrowein.com

Take the contrast therapy plunge in Paris this spring, where Sant Roch, home to the largest sauna in France, has just opened its doors as the capital’s hottest (and coldest, if you follow through with the plunge pool aspect) new wellness destination. Located in the chic 1st arrondissement, just opposite the Tuileries Gardens, it is designed as an immersive, sensory haven.

Step inside Sant Roch, France's largest sauna

Sant Roch was founded by Jules and Chloé Bouscatel, a Paris-based couple in design and life, who are also behind Monday Sports Club, a fitness group that operates more than 20 boutique studios in the French capital (under the brands Punch Boxing, Dynamo and Riise).

The space, by Toronto-based Futurstudio, draws on ancient rituals and the Roman baths of Lutetia for inspiration. Spanning a generous 400 sq m across two levels (the sauna alone occupies 60 sq m), it’s characterised by contemporary luxury and grounded in materiality, with timber featuring prominently.

Artful lighting compositions, immersive playlists and aromatherapy set an atmospheric stage, and help define the transitions through the space. In addition to the areas for deep heat, for instance, are five cold plunge pools, set at a somewhat breathtaking 3°C to 8°C.

These transitions between hot and cold are at the heart of contrast therapy, a practice gaining in popularity (Wallpaper* tried out London’s first contrast therapy centre last year). The abrupt shifts in temperature are intended to trigger the widening and narrowing of blood vessels, helping to flush out metabolic waste and ease pain. It’s often used to boost circulation, reduce inflammation, and help speed up muscle recovery. Sant Roch’s makers describe the facility as ‘a place dedicated to experience, where heat and cold become tools for regeneration, grounding and deep physical release’.

Clients can opt for a self-guided or guided experience, the latter led by practitioners trained in the Sant Roch method, which combines breathwork, sound immersion, meditation and embodied movement. Collectively, the mix of treatments and techniques is intended to enable a physical and mental reset, and deep relaxation.

Neither a spa nor a conventional wellness space, Sant Roch is certainly a unique environment in which to seek ‘regeneration, grounding and deep physical release’, as the company puts it.

santroch.com

Perched at 1,850 metres above sea level, Courchevel 1850 is the most exclusive ski resort in the French Alps. In December 2025, Rosewood Hotels & Resorts unveiled its first-ever ski property here, further cementing the brand’s presence in the world’s most coveted destinations. Designed by French interior architect Tristan Auer, the hotel takes the form of a refined alpine chalet – at once deeply cosy and impeccably luxurious. It embodies a vision of mountain chic where guests feel instantly at home, whether returning from the slopes or settling in for a winter escape.

Wallpaper* checks in at Rosewood Courchevel Le Jardin Alpin

What’s on your doorstep?

Set directly on the slopes, at the very top of the resort and just beyond Courchevel’s centre, Rosewood Courchevel Le Jardin Alpin is a dream base for ski enthusiasts. The hotel sits within Les Trois Vallées, the largest ski domain in the world, celebrated for its vast range of pistes suitable for all levels, as well as its exceptional off-piste terrain. With true ski-in, ski-out access, guests can maximise every moment on the mountain.

For afternoons spent off the slopes, Courchevel’s compact centre is lined with luxury boutiques, including Loro Piana, Prada and Louis Vuitton. A dedicated car service brings guests into the village in just five minutes. The resort also boasts a remarkable fine-dining scene, with seven Michelin-starred restaurants. A standout is Yannick Alléno’s three-star Le 1947 à Cheval Blanc, an intimate five-table restaurant showcasing elevated Savoie-inspired cuisine.

Who’s behind the design?

Tristan Auer conceived the interiors of Rosewood Courchevel Le Jardin Alpin as a resolutely contemporary space, drawing inspiration from Courchevel’s early years in the 1940s and 1950s, before it became a playground for the international jet set.

‘We wanted to create an atmosphere that feels as warm and alpine as possible,’ says Auer. ‘Outside, the light is cold, the snow is cold, the rock is cold. Inside should feel like a cocoon – comforting – because the mountain is, by nature, a hostile place.’

‘We went back to the roots in order to reinvent what Courchevel is today,’ explains Auer. From the outside, the hotel resembles a classic alpine chalet, discreet and timeless. The façade, crafted from quartzite sourced from Vals in Switzerland, blends seamlessly with wood and copper elements.

This dialogue between tradition and modernity is a recurring theme throughout the property. One standout example is the two fireplaces in the restaurant and bar that are a reinterpretation of historic alpine chimneys. Their sculptural, suspended copper forms echo the work of local plumbers and heating engineers in the 1950s, marrying mid-century elegance with rustic mountain warmth, explains Auer.

The room to book

The hotel houses 51 rooms and suites, ranging from intimate rooms to a spectacular 552 square metre apartment accommodating up to eight guests. With views overlooking the snow-capped mountains and chalets, the rooms are enveloped in warmth – from the dimmed, indirect lighting to the soft materials used throughout. The earthy colour palette is complemented by sculpted ceilings with organic curves, subtly referencing the ski slopes just beyond the windows.

Bathrooms are conceived as extensions of the living space, featuring marble double vanities, walk-in marble showers that transform into saunas at the touch of a button, and deep soaking tubs.

According to Auer, the room to book is the two-bedroom Signature Suite, which features a bar constructed from pink Himalayan salt, designed to ‘recreate the magic of a wood fire – without combustion’. That said, Auer himself prefers the smaller rooms. ‘There’s a human dimension I love when you can stretch out your arms and feel everything around you,’ he says.

Staying for drinks and dinner?

Dining takes place at Salto, the hotel’s Italian restaurant offering elevated Alpine cuisine. The menu reimagines traditional dishes using refined ingredients. Vitello tonnato, arancini with raw tuna, fresh pasta, blue lobster risotto – authentic Italian flavours are presented with a luxurious edge. The lunch menu also highlights regional classics, including a gourmet cheese fondue. The atmosphere remains relaxed and convivial, with dishes designed for sharing, making Salto as much about pleasure and togetherness as it is about gastronomy.

Where to switch off

Tucked away on the lower ground floor, the hotel’s spa area is a true sanctuary of calm. At one end, a state-of-the-art fitness area features Technogym equipment, alongside the Asaya Spa, where a menu of signature treatments is designed to restore both body and mind. The Deep Alpine Massage is a standout, targeting deep muscle tissue and easing post-ski tension after long days on the slopes.

At the other end lies a 17-metre indoor swimming pool, enveloped in bespoke ceramic finishes inspired by the snow-dusted mountain landscape outside. The wellness facilities are completed by two saunas, a steam room, a hot tub, a cold plunge pool and a multi-sensory shower.

Families are equally well catered for, with a children’s cave featuring water jets, allowing younger guests to enjoy the space freely without disturbing the tranquillity of the main spa area.

The verdict

In just a few weeks, Rosewood Courchevel Le Jardin Alpin has firmly established itself among the resort’s most refined luxury addresses. Beautifully executed, this chic mountain retreat strikes a balance between elegance and comfort. The experience feels complete – from restorative nights of sleep to simple yet comforting dining, and thoughtfully designed spaces that gently erase the hours spent on the slopes, ski boots and all.

Rosewood Courchevel Le Jardin Alpin is located at Rue du Jardin Alpin, 73120 Courchevel, France

Across French film director Éric Rohmer’s oeuvre, the Parisian pied-à-terre emerges as a leitmotif: a vehicle for independence, mischief, and fleeting urban life. Yet the concept long predates Rohmer. In the 18th century, wealthy Europeans began maintaining modest apartments in major capitals as bases for business and social engagements.

The appeal of a home away from home endures. When Jess Levy and brothers Eric and Michael Dayan founded Highstay in 2020, they posed a simple proposition: what if five-star hotel service could be delivered within a private residence in one of Paris’s most desirable neighbourhoods?

Available for short- and long-term bookings, properties in the Highstay portfolio are dreamt up by a team of interior designers and architects and serviced by a dedicated in-house staff of house managers. Additionally, through the ‘Curated by’ collection, the group also acts as custodian of architecturally and culturally significant addresses.

This range currently comprises seven residences, from a light-filled apartment overlooking the Champs de Mars to a 650-square-metre private mansion near the Trocadéro. The most recent addition is the former Paris office of Karl Lagerfeld, the late polymath who left an indelible mark on global visual culture and even guest-edited an issue of Wallpaper* in 2009 (W*127).

Highstay unveils Saint-Germain I in Paris

Located in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the three-storey space occupies an early 19th-century building. After its sale to a private owner in 2024, the office was transformed into an intimate, multi-level residence by French interior architect Pauline Leprince and is now open for bookings. It sits just steps from Serge Gainsbourg’s former home on Rue de Verneuil.

Throughout, minimalist and Space Age sensibilities are expressed through a restrained palette of steel and ivory. At its centre stands a dramatic curved staircase, anchored by an intricately sculpted steel bannister designed by Lagerfeld in collaboration with Australian industrial designer Marc Newson. Nearby, a Dos à Dos armchair from Leprince’s 05-FP-23 collection completes the composition.

In the living room, soaring ceilings and twin steel bookcases – also designed by Leprince – serve as sculptural focal points while referencing Lagerfeld’s well-known bibliophilia; he notoriously founded the Parisian bookshop and library 7L. Meanwhile, two fully-equipped kitchens and an intimate bar are accented with warm wood tones.

Upstairs, the master bedroom sees a bed encased within a steel capsule with integrated shelving, whilst a second, independent bedroom with its own bathroom completes the sleeping quarters. On the lower level, a wellness area with sauna and hammam awaits. Key artworks in the residence include Head in the Clouds XL by French sculptor Laurence Perratzi, Whisper Dinner Tonight by London-based Ukrainian artist Lizii Chan, and a geometric composition by French painter Jacques Daibehesse.

As part of the 'Curated by Highstay' collection, Saint-Germain I guests can opt for a bespoke ‘Karl Itinerary,’ conceived by Highstay’s dedicated concierge, tracing the couturier’s favourite Left Bank addresses, from Café de Flore to Maison du Caviar.

For bookings, visit highstay.com. The Saint-Germain I apartment is located at Rue de Verneuil, 75007 Paris, France

What is design’s relationship with architecture, if not a constant dialogue across eras? French interior designer Pierre‑Yves Rochon’s long-standing relationship with the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris wholeheartedly exemplifies this notion.

Their dialogue began ahead of the Parisian hotel’s opening in 1999 – within a landmark 1928 building – when Rochon was commissioned to conceive its palatial interiors. From the outset, his approach resisted overt modernisation, instead allowing contemporary nuance to sit within the building’s classical framework. The result was an art deco-inflected palace calibrated for modern luxury.

Yet, Rochon is not a creative who easily considers a project fully complete. Instead, his work is defined by return, revision, and long-term stewardship, a singular method evident in his work at Hôtel Ritz Paris and Hôtel de Crillon. At the George V, this approach has unfolded across decades. Its latest chapter marks the completion of a three-year renovation of all 243 rooms and suites, carried out while the hotel remained fully operational.

Tour the refreshed Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris

The ambition was precise: to shift the experience from hotel accommodation to Parisian residence. Rooms are conceived as apartments rather than suites, framed through a Haussmannian sensibility. Vestibules replace corridors; circulation is intuitive; dressing rooms borrow from couture ateliers; libraries and dining areas reinforce the domestic. Louis XVI furniture, 19th-century artworks, and contemporary pieces are layered with restraint.

‘Through this renovation, we wanted to achieve a place to inhabit, to embrace, and to cherish as a home away from home. Today, luxury is not about ostentation; it lies in the quiet quality of volumes, light, and materials,’ explains Rochon. ‘To design an interior is to tell a story; at the George V, that story is of a cultivated and timeless Paris that continues to reinvent itself.’

Rochon’s redesign was guided by four principles: domestic life structuring the plan; light treated as a material, drawn deep inside through new sightlines and French windows; technology discreetly embedded via a bespoke system developed with Henri; and craft as the constant: patinated oak Versailles parquet, Carrara marble, Baccarat crystal, textiles by Charles Burger and Dedar, Houlès trimmings, and hand-tufted rugs.

Three signature suites articulate the project most clearly. Remarkably, the renovation reduced the hotel’s key count by just one, following the creation of the Parisian Eiffel Tower Suite: a move the hotel’s general manager, Thibaut Dreg, attributes to ‘the house’s enduring impulse to reinvent itself’. Two former technical rooms with Eiffel Tower views were reimagined as a duplex suite.

At the summit, the Penthouse Suite has become the hotel’s most coveted address, with the Eiffel Tower framed across three private terraces. Its vocabulary is romantic yet controlled: a green chenille silk sofa by J Robert Scott, an ivory-lacquered circular bookcase with pearlescent floral detailing, softly patinated gold-leaf ceilings, and a boudoir-style dressing room lit by Baccarat sconces. Sculptural marble basins are offset by floral compositions by Jeff Leatham.

The Eiffel Parisian Suite adopts a more architectural, family-oriented register. A primary suite connects to two additional bedrooms, unified by a pale blue and off-white palette. Villari ceramics, Artemest vases and restored porcelain light fittings sit alongside a Calacatta Oro marble fireplace, while reception rooms open onto two enclosed, landscaped terraces furnished with black wrought-iron pieces by Hervé Baume.

By contrast, the Parisian Suite is intimate and light-driven. Classical proportions are preserved, anchored by an emerald-green lacquered bar. Works by Gérard Redoulès, antique lithographs and ceramic objects are set against a palette of sea green, ivory and light taupe, punctuated with restrained gilding.

For Rochon, the renovation fundamentally reframes the hotel as a residential address. As he puts it: ‘It’s a place to live, to make your own, to love as one would a Parisian home. It’s where classic and contemporary aesthetics converge, all while continually pushing the boundaries of modern hospitality.’

Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris is located at 31 Av. George V, 75008 Paris, France

This is the latest instalment of The Inside Story, Wallpaper’s series spotlighting intriguing, innovative and industry-leading interior design.

For a masterclass in renovating a historic property without stripping it of its identity, look to this transformation of a 19th-century hunting estate in the Sologne region, near the Loire Valley. Architect and designer Katja Pargger was tasked in 2020 with restoring a Napoléon III-era château – a quintessential château Solognot, the traditional rural manor houses native to central France – as well as reimagining several outbuildings, including a separate guest inn. The surrounding landscape was concurrently reworked by Louis Benech, the designer behind Paris’s Jardin des Tuileries.

The central challenge of a renovation of this scale and pedigree lay in preserving the château’s classical French language. To the original lime-rendered façades, hand-made brickwork and terracotta roofs, Pargger added a pair of black wrought-iron conservatories. Positioned symmetrically, they frame the building without disrupting its silhouette, while creating gentle transitions between the house and the surrounding forest and meadows.

Inside, Pargger adopts a Bauhaus-inspired approach, treating architecture, furniture and objects as parts of a single, cohesive system. Spaces are shaped by clean geometric forms and tactile materials such as raw wood, lacquer, stone, lime and leather. Materials are intentionally left unfinished – aged wood, woven textiles, natural stone – reinforcing the understated sophistication associated with rural French manor houses.

Throughout the interiors, historical and contemporary references are layered with confidence: checkerboard floors, Briare enamel tiles, tapestries and artworks drawn from different eras and geographies. This approach not only brings the past into dialogue with the present, but also lends the house a richly lived-in quality, as though it has evolved organically over generations rather than emerged fully formed from a recent renovation.

In the guest inn, Pargger leans into the building’s generous volumes, flooding the interiors with daylight through skylights and horizontal windows. Each room balances crisp architectural lines with warm wood panelling and bespoke soft furnishings, creating spaces that feel both open and intimate. Custom-designed elements – parchment bedside lamps, mirrored nightstands, velvet headboards – are complemented by unexpected gestures, such as a latex kimono displayed on a 19th-century Japanese stand.

The atmosphere recalls Jean Renoir’s The Rules of the Game (1939), set on a Sologne estate. Renoir resists presenting it as an awe-inspiring palace; instead, he films it as a porous domestic space threaded with doors, corridors, staircases and balconies – an architecture that allows people to overhear, pass through and observe one another.

This project demonstrates a sensitivity to history without lapsing into pastiche. With her carefully judged interventions, Pargger has crafted a place where, like in The Rules of the Game, life can unfold organically.

Recreate the mood

Built in 1930 on a hilltop in Le Pradet, near Toulon, Villa de Mandrot – also known as L’Artaude – is a Le Corbusier gem that blends modernism with Mediterranean vernacular tradition. Designed as a holiday residence for Hélène de Mandrot, a prominent patron of the arts and a key figure in Parisian avant-garde circles, the property sits on a plot bursting with pine, lavender, cypress and lemon trees. It is now on the market through Architecture de Collection, listed for €2.3 million.

De Mandrot asked Le Corbusier to design a simple holiday home with ‘two bedrooms, four extra beds and a garden’. The result spans 200 square metres across two levels in an L-shaped plan. The ground floor is anchored by a living room with a fireplace that opens onto the rear garden, alongside a kitchen and dining area. The sleeping quarters include a master bedroom with an en-suite and a second space that can serve as a bedroom or office. The garden level – originally the caretaker’s quarters – covers 80 square metres and now houses a workshop, an open kitchen and a shower room.

Originally, the terrace was framed by two monumental sculptures by modernist sculptor Jacques Lipchitz – Le Chant des Voyelles (1931) and Nu Couché à la Guitare (1928) – though these have since disappeared.

Le Corbusier’s philosophy – and the branch of modernism that he fathered – encompassed the integration of light and air as a key tenet. The villa is perched on a hill with a southern orientation that ensures sunlight throughout the day. The shaded north façade, meanwhile, remains cool, reflecting a thoughtful response to the Mediterranean climate.

Villa de Mandrot, which has been listed as a Historic Monument, represents the intersection of two currents of modernism. On one hand, it reflects the purist, standardised, industrial aesthetic of Le Corbusier’s ‘machine for living’, akin to Villa Savoye and comparable modernist works such as Eileen Gray’s Villa E-1027. On the other hand, the Provence property demonstrates a dialogue between the International Style and Provençal culture, embracing local materials and landscape.

Le Corbusier anchored the house in its setting through the use of rubble and Var stone, while elements such as a grand staircase leading to the garden highlight the surrounding nature. The terrace, windbreak wall and cabin echo the Mediterranean patio. In 1931, the architect called the project ‘stunning, new, strong, solid, splendidly incorporated into the landscape’.

Villa de Mandrot is a compelling example of modernist ideals being adapted to local context without losing their formal clarity. A perfect blend of Le Corbusier’s standardised design principles and Mediterranean materials, climate awareness and landscape sensitivity, it is an enduring symbol of 20th-century architectural ingenuity.

The latest edition of Maison & Objet, Paris’ biannual homes and interiors fair, ran from 15 to 19 January 2026 at Paris Nord Villepinte, filling hall after hall with premium brands, innovative concepts and emerging talent across furniture, décor and lifestyle. The Wallpaper* team was on the ground to explore the breadth of the fair, from its headline exhibitions to an extensive programme of immersive experiences.

This edition's theme, ‘Past Reveals Future’, set the tone for a narrative celebrating the relationship between enduring craftsmanship and contemporary innovation. Here, the past was not treated as a static archive but as a living source of inspiration, continually shaping the future of design. These are our five highlights of Maison & Objet 2026.

Harry Nuriev named Designer of the Year

Russian-born architect, designer, artist and creative director Harry Nuriev was awarded Designer of the Year by Maison & Objet. He is known for his cross-disciplinary practice, which blurs the boundaries between architecture, interiors, furniture, art and fashion.

Nuriev is the founder and creative force behind Crosby Studios, a multidisciplinary practice delivering more than thirty projects annually across retail, fashion, hospitality and cultural institutions. His approach, described as ‘Transformism’, reimagines everyday objects and interiors as conceptual design and art. Operating as a ‘design anthropologist’, Nuriev offers a singular response to a world saturated with images, data and ideas.

Curatio

Returning after a successful debut, Curatio took the form of a collectible design village curated by German designer Thomas Haarmann. This gallery-style environment presented a journey through 60 works championing the ‘art of rarity’, with unique and limited-edition pieces designed for high-end interiors, restaurants, hotels and retail spaces. Haarmann’s distinctive aesthetic – balancing refined brutality with human sensitivity – shaped the narrative throughout.

Village Manufactures d’Excellence

A new addition to the fair, this space was dedicated to French savoir-faire and craftsmanship. Presented within a reimagined baroque scenography, it showcased the elegance of French artisanal excellence, with fourteen EPV-labelled houses ('Entreprises du Patrimoine Vivant', or 'Living Heritage Companies') in attendance.

In Materia

Conceived by style expert and trend forecaster Elizabeth Leriche, ‘In Materia’ offered a sensory exploration of raw materials – wood, fibre, glass, clay and stone – through unique and limited-edition works. Structured around four themes – ‘Germa’, ‘Terra’, ‘Fusio’ and ‘Crypta’ – the installation celebrated material transformation, the poetry of craftsmanship and the power of the human hand.

Outdoor Living and Eco-Materials Corner

Expanding the fair’s scope, these areas addressed the growing importance of responsible creation. ‘Outdoor Living’ reinvented exterior spaces as true extensions of the home, with 50 international brands presenting innovative lighting, furniture, pergolas and architectural solutions. Meanwhile, the 'Eco-Materials Corner' functioned as a laboratory for sustainable finishes and materials, demonstrating how environmental responsibility can coexist with contemporary design innovation.

If uniformity typically informs social housing, Renée Gailhoustet, the pioneering Algerian-French architect (1929-2023), proposed something richer.

Efficiency, and its close cousin uniformity, have long been the defining logic of modern residential architecture, translating to repeated layouts, familiar footprints and buildings designed to perform with predictability. Arguing that architecture that’s unique isn’t just for the affluent but is deserving of the masses, Gailhoustet took tailor-made spaces out of the realm of privilege and luxury and transported them into that of the wider community, famously proclaiming, 'I don’t believe in typologies. I believe in life.'

Enter the world of architect Renée Gailhoustet

Open until 21 March 2026, ‘A Thousand and One Ways of Living’, a new exhibition at London’s Architectural Association, revisits Le Liegat, Gailhoustet’s labyrinthine social housing complex located in the working-class Paris suburb of Ivry-sur-Seine. This important case study of her work was completed in 1982. It presented an unconventional vision of social housing, delivering over 1,500 unique apartments with tailor-made floor plans, all within budget – quite literally, providing more than a thousand ways to live.

Curator of the exhibition, Nichola Barrington-Leach, says: 'Gailhoustet’s philosophy is rooted in the principle that everyone, regardless of income, class or circumstance, is deserving of beauty, care and dignity.' Building on her research on Le Liegat, the show brings together drawings, spatial study models by design studio NVBL, and photographs by Sacha Trouiller and Valerie Sadoun, centring on the residents' experience, as much as the architectural craft that made it possible.

Ascending the stairs of the Architectural Association, a 1:1 paper model snakes between two exhibition rooms. Barrington-Leach explains: 'It's very hard to understand Ivry-sur-Seine without experiencing it in person, so we built a partial piece of one of the residences.' Through a medley of models, photography and installations, the exhibition conjures a range of altitudes, reminiscent of Le Liegat apartments themselves. Gentle paper doorways and openings suggested by the installation invite viewers into small, acute nooks and intimate solo views of the exhibits.

Meanwhile, an elevated platform references the raised levels featured in every Le Liegat apartment, allowing for ʻgreen terraces which had at least 40cm of soil, enough for gardens to flourish’ and meaning that trees could populate the 10,000 sq m complex. The result is a kaleidoscopic layer cake of apartments and lush vegetation. Aside from the human aspect, Barrington-Leach notes, ‘Her buildings and masterplans also became landscapes and ecologies as well as residences.’

Despite an architectural practice that consistently challenged conventions, Gailhoustet only received her first major award at the age of 88. With the architect working alongside Raymonde Laluque, the commissioning urban planner, Barrington-Leach says: 'It required two strong women for Le Liegat to happen.'

With an approach to housing that is profoundly humble, 'A Thousand and One Ways of Living' explores radical principles that cater to communities with a purposeful generosity. Where architectural form becomes secondary to a sensitive understanding of variety in lived experience and access to prime views, bespoke interiors and lush gardens are not an indication of income or status, but simply a requisite of care.

'Renée Gailhoustet: A Thousand and One Ways of Living' is on show at the Architectural Association in London until 21 March 2026

Jean Prouvé (1901–1984) occupies a singular position in 20th-century architecture and design. Neither architect in the orthodox sense nor industrial designer by training, he described himself instead as a constructeur, a 'builder' for whom the act of making, assembling and improving was inseparable from ethics. Best known today for his metal furniture and pioneering prefabricated buildings, Prouvé’s importance lies less in a recognisable style than in a conviction that design should respond directly to social need. Few modernist architecture masters managed to fuse politics, craftsmanship and construction with such clarity. Fewer still did so while remaining rooted in one city: Nancy, where this creative's ideas were formed, tested, and, in many ways, lived out.

Who was Jean Prouvé?

Born in Nancy in 1901, Prouvé grew up in a household shaped by progressive artistic ideals. His father, Victor Prouvé, was a leading figure of the École de Nancy, one of the epicentres of France’s Art Nouveau movement that linked beauty to social reform and craft to industry. This environment instilled in Jean a respect for labour and material intelligence rather than academic theory. Rejecting formal architectural education, he trained as a metalworker, learning through fabrication, failure and iteration.

Jean Prouvé: origins

That practical grounding shaped both Prouvé's personality and his politics. He was outspoken, stubborn and deeply principled, resistant to authority when it conflicted with his moral compass. During the Second World War, these qualities found concrete expression: he joined the French Resistance, placing his technical skills at the service of a broader struggle against occupation. Shortly after liberation, he briefly became mayor of Nancy, a symbolic civic role that reflected both his wartime commitment and the trust he commanded locally. It was a fleeting political chapter, but one that reinforced his belief that building, governance and social responsibility were inseparable.

Nancy: workshop, city and testing ground

Nancy was not merely Prouvé’s birthplace but the engine of his thinking. Set in the eastern heartlands of French heavy industry, Nancy had long forged itself as a place where manufacturing (particularly metalwork) fused with beauty, the École de Nancy being a product of this. It was also a city with strong traditions of social reform and offered fertile ground for his ambitions. In the 1930s, he established his own workshops there, producing everything from furniture and façade panels to structural components and experimental housing. Unlike many modernists, Prouvé did not separate architecture from production; design happened on the workshop floor as much as on the drawing board.

The city also shaped his understanding of scale and responsibility. Prouvé was less interested in monumental gestures than in repeatable solutions: doors, joints, roofs, frames — the elements that could be standardised, improved and deployed widely. Nancy allowed him to test ideas at a civic scale, responding to schools, housing shortages and post-war reconstruction with pragmatism rather than ideology.

Historical context

Prouvé’s career unfolded in parallel with some of the century’s most urgent crises. Before the war, he gained recognition for metal furniture that translated structural logic into domestic form: chairs and tables where strength, economy and comfort were all too visible. After 1945, his focus intensified around housing, driven by the acute shortages facing France. He developed lightweight, prefabricated systems intended to be transported, assembled and disassembled with ease, emphasising speed, dignity and efficiency.

It was in this context that his collaboration with Abbé Pierre emerged, culminating in the Maison des Jours Meilleurs (House of Better Days) in 1956 — a project that distilled Prouvé’s humanitarian ideals without spectacle. While bureaucratic resistance ultimately limited its dissemination, the project stands as a powerful expression of architecture conceived as an emergency response rather than an aesthetic exercise. That said, to contemporary eyes and taste, Prouvé’s designs are more than a little aesthetically pleasing and desirable.

Throughout these years, Prouvé’s relationship with industry was complex. He believed in mass production but resisted its tendency to dilute authorship and ethics. Being forced out of his own company in the early 1950s was a personal blow, yet it did not weaken his influence. Later roles within large industrial groups allowed him to continue refining systems and advising on construction at scale, even as his most radical ideas often outpaced institutional comfort.

Legacy and relevance

Jean Prouvé’s legacy has only sharpened with time. In an era preoccupied with climate responsibility, housing inequality and resource scarcity, his insistence on an economy of means feels strikingly current. Architects from Renzo Piano to Parisian studio Lacaton & Vassal have acknowledged his influence, particularly his belief that generosity can be structural rather than symbolic.

Yet Prouvé resists easy canonisation. His work is demanding, sometimes austere, and unapologetically utilitarian. What endures is not an image but an attitude: a refusal to separate construction from conscience. Rooted in Nancy, forged in resistance, and sustained by compassion, Prouvé’s career offers a reminder that modernism, at its best, was never only about form — but about building better days for everyone.

8 key projects

Maison des Jours Meilleurs (House of Better Days), 1956

Designed for Abbé Pierre in response to France’s post-war housing emergency, this demountable dwelling distilled Jean Prouvé’s belief that architecture should act quickly and humanely. Conceived for rapid assembly, transport and affordability, it rejected symbolism in favour of dignity. Though never mass-produced at scale, it remains a powerful expression of architecture as social responsibility rather than formal display. In 2024 Paris’ Galerie Patrick Seguin held a show devoted to the Maison Les Jours Meilleurs.

Maison Prouvé, Nancy, 1954

Built for his own family on a hillside in Nancy, this lightweight house functioned as a personal manifesto. Prefabricated aluminium panels, a steel portal frame and dry assembly created a domestic environment defined by efficiency and adaptability. Neither experimental prototype nor showcase villa, it embodied Jean Prouvé’s conviction that innovation belonged in everyday life, not architectural spectacle.

Maison du Peuple, Clichy, 1939

Co-designed with Eugène Beaudouin and Marcel Lods, this pioneering civic building combined a market, assembly hall and offices within a flexible structural system. Retractable floors, sliding walls and exposed metalwork reflected a radical approach to public architecture. Prouvé’s contribution lay in translating social ambition into mechanical ingenuity, allowing the building to adapt to collective use.

Standard Chair, 1934

This seemingly simple wooden chair reveals Prouvé’s understanding of force and material logic. Thick rear legs bear the load, while slimmer front legs reduce unnecessary mass. The result is economical, robust and visually honest. Far from decorative furniture, the Standard Chair exemplifies Prouvé’s belief that good design begins with structure over style.

Demountable Houses (6×6 and 8×8), late 1940s

Developed to rehouse displaced populations after the war, these compact dwellings prioritised speed, clarity and reuse. Made from prefabricated elements, they could be erected with minimal labour and dismantled without waste. These projects framed housing as an urgent logistical challenge, reinforcing Prouvé’s stance that construction systems, not forms, define architectural progress. In 2018 Galerie Patrick Seguin immortalized Prouvé’s Demountable House by installing it at Château La Coste.

Aluminium Furniture for Cité Universitaire, Paris, 1952

Produced for student housing in Paris, this series explored aluminium as a lightweight, durable material suited to communal living. The pieces were stackable, resilient and easily repaired, reflecting Jean Prouvé’s attention to an object’s lifecycle rather than appearance. Furniture here functioned as infrastructure, supporting everyday use while elegantly demonstrating the possibilities of industrial production.

CNIT Roof Structure, La Défense, 1958

Working as an engineer and consultant, Prouvé contributed to the vast concrete shell of the CNIT exhibition hall. The project marked his engagement with large-scale construction and structural daring. Though less intimate than his housing work, it showed his capacity to apply principles of efficiency and load distribution to monumental contexts without abandoning technical rigour.

Façade Systems and Industrial Panels, 1950s–60s

Across multiple projects, Prouvé developed curtain walls, panels and envelope systems that prioritised assembly logic and performance. These components, often overlooked beside his buildings and furniture, encapsulate his thinking most clearly. Architecture, for Prouvé, was a sum of parts and improving those parts was a political as well as technical act.

French artist Philippe Weisbecker has been exploring form, structure and object for several decades now, producing delicate artworks on subjects ranging from American trucks and Japanese water tanks to landmark buildings around the world.

Themes evolve over days, months and years, inspired by a constant desire to ‘do everything and show everything’, says Weisbecker. But whether they depict a bright orange skip or a series of complex structural beams, somehow, all manage to be simple yet insightful, capturing what is often missed out as we go about our daily lives.

Unsurprisingly, they have acquired quite a following – from New York, where Weisbecker moved in his 20s and became a sought-after illustrator for prestigious publications such as The New Yorker, to Japan, where he took part in an artist-in-residence program at Kyoto’s Villa Kujoyama and has collaborated with brands including Muji.

Combining drawings and architectural studies, his ‘Architectures’ series is now the subject of a new exhibition at Paris’ Yvon Lambert Gallery, a space designed in 2017 by Dominique Perrault for gallerists Yvon Lambert and his daughter Ève Lambert.

With ‘Architectures’, on show until 1 March, Weisbecker offers a unique perspective on the built environment, condensing complex structures into almost elemental forms to create beautiful drawings in his unique graphic language. Combining new works and earlier pieces, the result is ‘a celebration of what remains when we strip things of all that is superfluous,’ as the gallerists put it.

‘We have had the pleasure of collaborating with Philippe Weisbecker for over ten years,’ says Ève Lambert. ‘We are particularly sensitive to his work and to his deeply poetic perspective. Through his delicate approach, he brings a true sense of nobility to the everyday objects he depicts, and invites us to look anew at the world around us.’

If at first Weisbecker sought to faithfully reproduce the buildings that inspired him, he soon realised that what really interested him was ‘the skeleton of buildings, their structures, the vectors of force that organise them’. Hence a large drawing of Notre-Dame de Paris, showing the lesser-known back of the cathedral, and its semi-circle of graceful flying buttresses.

The drawing features on the exhibition’s poster and is the latest of a series depicting Parisian landmarks. 'Since our first collaboration with Philippe, we have produced posters for each of his exhibitions,’ explains Ève. ‘This body of work traces a journey through Paris: after the Cirque d’Hiver for the exhibition Élémentaires in 2018, Place des Vosges in 2020, and the Carreau du Temple in 2023, Notre-Dame was an obvious choice to illustrate the poster for Architectures.’

Other drawings show the Fulton Houses housing project in Manhattan, and various factories and warehouses – a particular favourite of the artist. ‘For someone like me, who enjoys drawing minimalism, it’s a subject of choice,’ says Weisbecker. ‘When I look at a warehouse, I like to ask myself what might be inside.”

Also featured in the exhibition are artworks inspired by electrical cabinets and vessels. The À ras-bord (‘to the brim’) series shows dark vessels in subtly different shapes, highlighting the beauty of the neck of a pot. ‘I’m drawn to emptiness and fullness, to black and white,’ explains Weisbecker. ‘In both, the mystery remains intact.’

yvon-lambert.com

It was two days before the reopening of French design gallery Ecart, and Pierre Yovanovitch was discussing with his team how to best display the swivel feature of a low-backed chair. The chair was not one of Yovanovitch's own sought-after designs, but, rather, created by the Hungarian-born American designer Paul László some 80 years ago.

Ecart International was founded by the legendary French designer Andrée Putman in 1978 to reissue important design pieces by neglected early 20th-century talents such as Jean-Michel Frank, Pierre Chareau and Eileen Gray. Yovanovitch acquired the company two years ago by buying the artisanal furniture maker D'Argentat, which then owned it. When Yovanovitch took over Ecart (he subsequently dropped 'International' from the name), the once beloved brand was, as he says, 'sleeping'.

Now he has big plans for it. 'We have an open road ahead of us to do beautiful things.’ Under his artistic direction, D'Argentat will craft every reissue as a faithful replica of the original. 'The same proportions, the same material,' he says. 'It's an homage to the designer to do exactly what they had in mind.'

A new era for Ecart

The company will continue to manufacture works by some – though not all – of the designers from Ecart's old catalogue. Yovanovitch is particularly excited about reviving other historic names from France, Italy and the United States, noting, 'I can enter the lives of designers I've always admired.' (He won't, however, produce any of his own furniture for Ecart, keeping it under the umbrella of his eponymous brand.)

László was an easy choice for Ecart's first new collection (which will be made to order). Around 25 years ago, while decorating a townhouse in Paris, Yovanovitch picked up some striking pieces by the designer at vintage galleries in Los Angeles. The Hungarian émigré had been a favourite of the Hollywood elite, with clients including Elizabeth Taylor and Ronald Reagan, and his brand of California modernism blended the formality of European modernism with the comfort and volume of American luxury lifestyle.

'After that, his name was always in my head,' recalls Yovanovitch. 'And when we wanted to relaunch Ecart, I said why we don't start with this American designer that I like? We contacted the family, and they were super enthusiastic.'

László's son, Peter, agrees. 'I think my father would be both proud and amused that some of his pieces are being recreated again. His only concern would be that the quality of the reissued pieces be kept to the same exacting standards of the original pieces. I’m very pleased that the Yovanovitch team has done such a fantastic job.'

Ecart still occupies its former Left Bank gallery space on Rue Jacob, recently renovated with an elegant (though risky!) white carpet and midcentury gold-yellow walls. Within, Yovanovitch has arranged ten newly reissued pieces by László.

A ‘Palisades’ coffee table in the gallery window has a transparent Lucite top, a solid wood base and a reflective stainless steel detail on the feet. 'It looks like nothing else,' raves Yovanovitch. An ‘Avondale’ sideboard, first produced in the 1950s, features a 'woven' wood veneer. A fabulous low ‘Wilshire’ console was originally made for screenwriter/producer Joan Harrison around 1942. And an ‘Arcadia’ armchair with an open wood frame, splayed legs and rattan seat and back is sure to please contemporary American clients with its generous proportions.

On the walls, archival photos show László's designs in California homes, along with a quote from him that's as relevant today as his furniture: 'One million dollars will not build the perfect house. You somehow can't put everything you want into it. It's largely a matter of taste, judgment and talent.'

Ecart, 18 Rue Jacob, 75006 Paris