Agence Jouin Manku transformed the interior of the Fontevraud Abbey, a hotel and restaurant that was formerly the Saint-Lazare priory. Designers Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku worked with a palette of wood, metal and fabric that beautifully accompanies the building's original stone work.
The biggest challenge was to assimilate a 21st-century design sensibility for a building, that, in its past life, functioned as a hospital and hospice for nuns. The designers explain that they wished to toe the line between tradition and modernity with this project. They hope to present the history of Saint-Lazare as a physical, tangible journey, one which ultimately marries "emotion, sensual pleasure and poetry."
Inside, the space has been decorated with free-standing furniture that has been custom designed, and operates as a divider, along with its functional capabilities.
What's Driving This Trend
- Monastic-inspired Design
- Exploring how historical and religious spaces can be transformed into contemporary living and working areas. A business opportunity includes creating bespoke and sustainable furniture for monastic living spaces.
- Heritage Tourism
- Exploring how historical spaces can be repurposed as accommodation for heritage tourism. A business opportunity includes creating tours and immersive experiences that let visitors immerse themselves in local history, and culture.
- Sustainable Design
- Exploring how historical spaces can be transformed into contemporary living and working areas while incorporating sustainable design. A business opportunity includes developing eco-friendly materials for preserving and repurposing historical buildings and monuments.
Who This Affects Most
- Hospitality Industry
- The hospitality industry could look to transform historical buildings into luxurious accommodation options for heritage tourism, drawing in tourists interested in experiencing local history and culture.
- Furniture Manufacturing Industry
- The furniture manufacturing industry could create and market bespoke and sustainable furniture for monastic living spaces, using eco-friendly materials that also incorporate traditional design elements.
- Architecture and Design Industry
- The architect and design industry could explore how to incorporate sustainable elements, while maintaining historical structures that exude cultural significance.
