fuksas unveils plans for 'la voile blanche', a five-star hotel on the french riviera

massimiliano and doriana fuksas have won an international competition to complete a new five-star hotel in cap-d’ail, france. named ‘la voile blanche’, meaning ‘the white veil’, the new building will be embedded into the plot’s existing topography. clad with organically-shaped wooden louvers, the main façade contains the hotel’s six storeys, which each accommodate a specific program. the site is located in close proximity to monaco, where the architects are redeveloping a stretch of coastline with a tiered mixed-use building.

all images © archivio fuksas

to fully utilize the plot, fuksas designed a large interior space described as a ‘canyon’. illuminated from above, this cavernous void — connected with suspended transparent walkways — is characterized by a green rock wall and falling water. ‘the project ‘la voile blanche’ aims at creating an architecture respectful of the territory’s morphology, which will be completely integrated into the surrounding landscape by emphasizing it without altering its characteristics,’ explain 
massimiliano and doriana fuksas.

an infinity pool on the hotel’s fourth floor offers sweeping views towards the mediterranean sea and the nearby city of monte carlo. overlooking the pool, glass volumes contain the hotel’s restaurant, events area, sun terrace, and a roof garden populated with greenery. conceived as an ‘inhabited sculpture’, the eco-sustainable hotel is planned to have zero environmental impact. see other projects by fuksas, a firm with offices in rome, paris, shenzhen, and dubai, on designboom here.

project info:

name: la voile blanche
location: cap-d’ail, france
architect: fuksas
status: competition winning design