Philippe Starck speaks to Effect Magazine about the modern-meets-industrial aesthetics and whimsical wonderland of the French designer’s latest hospitality project.
Paris isn’t short of design hotels. From the glamorous bolthole that is Hôtel Wallace to Valéry Grégo’s Le Pigalle, some of the world’s best interior designers have made their mark on the French capital. An architectural jewel nestled within the vibrant 13th arrondissement and perched atop the new Tours Duo landmark, the recently opened TOO Hotel, however, is a completely new concept for the city of love thanks to its sleek, other-worldly architectural design by Jean Nouvel. It’s no surprise then that its interiors would follow suit, with only one man suitable for the job – Philippe Starck.
“When my old friend and owner of the hotel Laurent Taïeb contacted me to work on this project, I immediately had a dream that I knew could fit the space,” Starck tells Effect. “When I work on a project, I always act like a film director. TOO, in my mind, was the story of a haunted castle flying in the sky and clouds, in the middle of different cities in the world. A castle levitating above Paris and causing a euphoric effect. This castle is full of dreams, love, desire, intelligence and laughter.”
When I work on a project, I always act like a film director. TOO, in my mind, was the story of a haunted castle flying in the sky and clouds
Philippe Starck, designer
Home to a certain je ne sais quoi alongside its 139 rooms and suites, Starck’s vision for the hotel was one of contrasts, with the brushed industrial concrete of the building juxtaposed with natural textiles and ethically sourced woods. It’s these materials that informed the hotel’s colour palette too, which comprises a delightful array of warm, natural tones including dark reds, burnt oranges, emeralds greens and brown.
“The colours come mainly from the materials,” the designer explains. “You’ll find the colour of wood, fake fur, leather, concrete, copper and stainless steel, and there’s almost no paint, so when you see copper, it’s really copper.” The colour temperature is also kept to a strict 2200 degrees Kelvin to create an ambient lighting. “It feels warm like a candle,” he adds.
Design aficionados are more than well-catered to when it comes to resting their heads, with smartly minimalist guestrooms minus all the unnecessary bells and whistles so often found within luxury hotels. Instead, guests can enjoy beds that are intentionally angled so they awaken to a bird’s eye view of the city, most notably from the Eiffel Tower Deluxe Junior Suite High-Floor which, as the name suggests, promises enviable views of the Eiffel. Here you will also find an additional double sofa bed, remote-controlled blinds and lights, a reading corner and desk, plus ensuite bath and shower room with those same panoramic views.
Set within a glittering gold-ceiling glass cube, TOO Restaurant is the hotel’s pièce de resistance, complete with 6m floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing the Parisian floorshow below and an Asian-inspired menu with creative takes on staple dishes. “It might suggest that a play has taken place in a large theatre and the set has then been forgotten,” explains Starck. “There is a screen that looks like a large painting with a face, sketches and strange messages made by my daughter Ara, as well as works by Pierre Monestier that are also very odd. The attitudes of the people in the paintings are absolutely abnormal. Everything is abnormal, to be fair.” Then there’s the hotel’s spa, TOO Chill – a holistic haven of custom-made cedarwood sauna and outdoor jacuzzi set on the tree-lined 17th-floor terrace overlooking the Seine River.
As with all Starck’s projects, humanity is at the heart of TOO, and today’s cost-conscious travellers are flocking there in their droves. “When guests stay at TOO, I want them to feel deeply at ease, both in their bodies and in their minds,” he concludes. “That people who come here are also elsewhere, and that they can leave with ideas in their heads.” We reckon he’s most certainly succeeded.
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