Molitor Hotel

The Molitor’s interior design has been conceived as a journey through time, from the building’s beginnings in the 1930s to the project today. Its original Art Deco character, its graffiti period, and the contemporary modernity that transcends the space are the stages that mark this journey. From post-war pool for fashionable society, to 20 years of closure when it became an internationally famous site for ‘street art’, the Piscine Molitor has been an emblematic part of Parisian life for a large part of the 20th century. Throughout the spaces of this new project (the entrance lobby, the restaurant, the bedrooms, the spa and sports facilities, and the spaces for private hire) an artistic expression emerges, that sets up a balanced dialogue with these many references. It is this polymorphic character that gives the project its original and site- specific identity. In chronological terms, the historic 1930s spaces required restoration and constituted the starting point for the interior decoration. The original colours of the building’s exteriors, the preservation of the ceiling in the restaurant, as well as the restoration of the original ticket office for the fitness centre, led the project. In each case, these elements of the project were restored to their original state, while the new spaces created were careful not to mimic these original details unless it was structurally or functionally necessary. If one thinks of the project as a journey through time, it is equally a journey through a series of richly varied and unusual spaces: the pools, the walkways, the spa, the sports facilities, the spaces to hire and the restaurant, these are what makes the Molitor unique. The lobby : At the corner of the basin d’été (the outdoor pool), the lobby opens out into a triangular shape at the centre of the project. The focus of the entrance lobby is the famous Rolls Royce tagged by graffiti artist JonOne, a great reminder of the buildings ‘street art’ period. Like the exposed services criss-crossing the ceiling, this emblematic car is a natural extension of the urban quality of the project, anchored in the city. These ‘unfinished’, ‘street art’ and ‘urban’ touches form a striking contrast to the more refined details: the desks look like little 1930s pill boxes, the curtains structure the interior spaces and bring a softness to the otherwise urban feel, suspended mirrors set up a play with the exposed services on the ceiling as well as providing multiple reflections of JonOne’s Rolls Royce. Another contrasting detail: the back of house and the cloakroom are placed in the room like precious objects, finished in highly polished stainless steel. In the salon areas, the specially made carpets introduce colour from the building’s exterior, here a yellow ochre. The furniture is a mix of contemporary and vintage pieces found especially for the project. The restaurant : The restaurant, characterised by the 1930s ceiling that has been restored to its original state, has been conceived as a ‘conversion’ space: a historic space becomes an art gallery, an ephemeral restaurant where large-scale photographs by Thomas Jorion show the graffiti-covered walls before demolition. Enlarged in this way, the graffiti is like a contemporary abstract painting, and by taking the same graphic approach, it sets up a dialogue with the historic stained-glass by Damon and Turlan. The many pieces of furniture are organised in an informal way that matches the Molitor’s nomadic spirit. Circulation spaces : The circulation spaces around the building continue the journey through the Molitor’s history, with an emphasis here on iconography: numerous black and white photographs of the great events and atmosphere of the pool. On the 3rd floor the photographs are also on the ceiling in a narrative fresco that can be seen from the exterior thanks to the transparency of the fully glazed facade. The bedrooms : The bedrooms have a voluntarily soothing atmosphere, in pale colours enlivened with a piece of art that again evokes the Molitor. The bedrooms are conceived as a haven of peace turned to the inside of the project. Placing the bed at an angle is designed to break with the tradition of the formal hotel bedroom, expressing instead the informal nomadic character here. The space plays with levels of transparency between the bedroom and bathroom, with a curtain behind the bed that can be used as a screen divider if desired. Press kit, may 19, 2014 A chair has been specially designed for the project, its curved wooden structure evoking the furniture of the 1940s as well as the work of the luthier, a contemporary reinterpretation of traditional savoir-faire. The spa and the sports facilities: Press kit, may 19, 2014 The spa and the sports facilities occupy generous spaces over two levels of the building. They mix a crisp contemporary signature with a contrasting series of ‘scenes’ that punctuate the space. These ‘scenes’ echo the building’s original aesthetics, at the same time giving character to its new internal spaces. They introduce a historic and very personal counterpoint, particularly through the use of vintage pieces, be they furniture, old pieces of sports apparatus, or architectural elements (glass and metal screens) introduced into the design. Combined, these details create a unique signature while remaining consistent with the global design for the whole project. The rooms for private hire: The private rooms at the Molitor set themselves apart from traditional meeting rooms in a hotel or a commercial space. The idea is to offer an opportunity to share an unique experience that relates to the whole Molitor project (a total immersion in the atmosphere of the place, a quirky universe decorated with tags or finished in bare concrete, art exhibitions…).