AAYP restores 1930s seaside hotel to it’s former glory on the coast of marseille

french design studio, atelier d’architecture yvann pluskwa (AAYP), has completed the renovation of a 1930s hotel, situated in the coastal city of marseille. formally known as ‘le richelieu’, ‘les bords de mer’ enjoys a prime location facing the mediterranean sea atop a rocky spur, however after years of neglect, the existing building was left in bad shape. the brief from the clients, frédéric biousse and guillaume foucher, therefore challenged AAYP to restore the hotel and bring it back to it’s former glory.

the lobby area with a view out to the sea, image © we are contents

as a result of it’s seaside location, the main design issue facing the hotel was to deal with the harsh weather conditions. the existing building had been damaged by the onslaught of wind and waves that hit it’s façade. the project by AAYP looked to repair this damage, as well as prevent future deterioration, by removing, refining and strengthening the materials.

the outdoor space of the lobby, image © we are contents

through discrete touches, the project recomposed the existing volume. the main goal of the design was to open up every single space to the stunning views of the sea, blurring the boundaries between indoor and outdoor. a new spa/fitness area has been dug out from the previously unused basement, with the rock being carved mainly with hand tools as heavy machine vibrations would have weakened the structure.

the hotel restaurant, image © we are contents

a new floor as well as a rooftop with a pool has been added to the hotel. overall, the design results in a pure and simple architecture. the finishing marble coating applied on the façades reflects sunlight, making the building stand out serenely from its surroundings on the côte d’azur. in essence, the restoration of ‘les bords de mer’ intends to provide guests with an unforgettable experience, linked intrinsically to it’s seaside location.

every single bedroom opens out to the sea, image © we are contents

bathroom with a view, image © we are contents

ground floor suite, image © we are contents

the hotel spa, image © we are contents

the spa/fitness area dug from the rock, image © we are contents

the fitness space, image © we are contents

the blue of the rooftop pool blends perfectly with the sea, image © we are contents

view of the hotel from the coastal road, image © we are contents

the hotel prior to its renovation, image © AAYP

project info:

project name: ‘les bords de mer’

project location: marseille, france

architect: atelier d’architecture yvann pluskwa (AAYP)

photography: we are contents, AAYP

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