Grand Hôtel Roi René

To bring a landmark Aix-en-Provence hotel back to life while respecting its heritage character, and at the same time introduce a resolutely contemporary touch. The design had to evoke the elegance of the South: light, natural materials, a warm palette.

I joined Roque Intérieurs to work across the whole project, from the initial concept through to its realisation on site — that end-to-end view is at the heart of the way I work.

Guiding concept, creative direction, bespoke furniture design, 3D visualisation, artistic supervision on site: I carried every stage of the project, from the idea to its faithful translation on site.

Design began with an immersion — a site visit, a survey of the existing building, research into references — followed by several creative directions in the form of moodboards and layout sketches. I also designed the bespoke furniture pieces, before they were produced through the studio. This first sequence sets the course: it turns an intention into a language the client can see, compare and approve with confidence.

Here, 3D was not merely a presentation tool: it was a genuine working tool. The photorealistic renders, produced with 3ds Max and Corona Renderer, made it possible to validate every choice with the client before a single order was placed, to communicate finishing details to the craftspeople, and to anticipate questions of proportion and scale.

Showing the near-photographic render of a space that does not yet exist gives the decision a head start — and the site, a roadmap with no ambiguity.

Natural stone, oak, brushed brass: noble materials in the service of a contemporary Mediterranean elegance. The palette plays on earthy tones, off-whites and terracotta accents, under a soft light conceived in dialogue with the southern sun.

Every material was chosen to age gracefully — to patina rather than date — and to meet the demands of a working hotel.

Once the visuals were approved, I contributed to the technical drawings (design development), then provided the artistic supervision on site: making sure, during site visits, that the materials, finishes and moods stayed true to the design. The works and the execution management were handled by other firms and contractors; my role was to safeguard the aesthetic fidelity.

Watching the spaces come to life exactly as in the renders is always a powerful moment: the fidelity between the visualisation and the delivered result speaks to the rigour of the process. It is this continuity — from the concept through to its faithful translation on site — that sums up the way I practise interior architecture.