Mutigny Resort Hotel: discovering the Champagne region through architecture

“Our project is a mix of deep, simple pleasures – and sparkle.” This is how architect Sanjit Manku, of Jouin Manku studio, describes the Mutigny Resort Hotel, a tribute to the Champagne region, its vineyards, its rolling hills, and its woodlands. But the project is equally a tribute to the passion, hard work, patience, and knowledge behind winemaking. A parallel can be drawn here in that the region is as much a part of local wine production as is the design of this architectural project.

 

A tribute to the Champagne region

The Mutigny Resort Hotel was inspired by the natural beauty of the Champagne region. It’s a place dedicated to relaxation and exploring one of France’s most famous regions, which owes its fame to one of the world’s most famous wines. The materials and color palette of the hotel have been chosen to recall the tones of the surrounding landscape. The result is a building that’s both rustic and understated, with a shy, neutral elegance very much in contrast with the sumptuous residences often associated with the production of Champagne. The 101-room hotel and spa sits quietly in the landscape, integrating into it, if not almost hiding.

The key idea of the design was to give guests views as far as the eye can see over the surrounding vine-covered and forested hills from any point in the hotel. To achieve this, the architects based the project around two connected buildings that, each from its own perspective, look out over the hill down towards the valley. The lower of the two buildings houses the common and social areas, while the taller building has the guestrooms.

By way of a tribute to nature, each one is clad in poplar wood. The façades are punctuated by a sequence of timber sections and full-height windows. To minimize the facility’s conspicuousness in its setting, it has a green roof.

 

Interiors that reflect the architecture and setting

The interior design also pays homage to nature and is intended to underscore the views outside. The reinforced concrete structure, more obvious in the dining and social areas, is softened by oak paneling. The oak floors that mark out the bar and the area around the large fireplace in the lobby contrast with the coolness of the black marble used in other areas. The furnishings, also designed for the project by Jouin Manku, are marked by organic, inviting shapes, enhanced with leather and brass details. Both the variety of materials and the color palette are kept to a minimum, including in the rooms, where the main feature is intended to be the view out the window. And each room has a view over the surrounding countryside, while also providing complete privacy, with the design only allowing views out and not in. From the executive rooms to the suites, all the rooms have a homey atmosphere, with materials such as wool, linen, leather, and oak creating warm textures and welcoming tones.

The spa area is located on the lower level of the building. Here the walls are shades of chalk, while the ceramic floors in slate tones create a strong connection with the local area.

The Mutigny Resort Hotel is a building dedicated to the Champagne region, encouraging guests to discover its beauty and richness through the architecture itself. It’s a tribute to the colors, materials, and natural features of the site and a chance for visitors to explore the area in a different, functional, and elegant way.

>>> Read the interview with the architects and founders of the studio, Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku, in THE PLAN Contract 3.

 

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