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[love is warm] > intro | project | materials | interview |

PATRICK NORGUET
architect

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In your opinion, what should the role of designer be when drawing up plans for a hotel (although in this case, of course, we’re talking about a renovation)?
The designer’s input must above all aim to be totally in tune with its location; this can be achieved only through careful analysis of the context of the design. Hotels are places where you have to be able to breathe and where light therefore plays a hugely important role. At the same time, they have to meet the needs of what is often a diverse clientele, not necessarily just the elite. From this point of view, they can’t be pretentious; they have be as comfortable as the ‘cocoon’ that is home: somewhere with a familiar feel to it where you can relax. As far as I’m concerned, I much prefer a pragmatic approach with any design, one that always lets me give rein to my creativity. I always try to marry beauty and practicality to give as many people as possible a pleasurable experience, sometimes even a magical one.

In your view, what different levels of interaction should a hotel be able to offer its guests?
A hotel is chiefly a transit area. The best hotels are those that manage to make their guests instantly feel they belong there, making them immediately feel at home. So the designer has to adopt an anthropocentric approach. The human being becomes the only subject to work around; the welcome, the service, the style, the courtesy and the culture of the place revolve entirely and exclusively around the guest. The quality of a hotel is judged by the sum total of the details that make it what it is, just like a product on sale. It’s the same with anything: the difference is always in the detail!

What importance do you attach to the involvement of local businesses in a design and, thinking in more general terms, to an approach based on sustainable development?
A hotel, or generally any building, is nothing more than an extension of its geographical position. This is especially the case with urban environments. Getting the design to integrate with the fabric of the city is very important to me. Actually, to my mind it’s essential that local people and local businesses are involved in the design phase. In my opinion, only if there’s a synergy with the resources of a given area can you weave in the local skills and culture necessary for the design to fit the existing context. The concept of sustainable development has pretty much become part of our collective consciousness; it’s in my mind at every stage of the creative process, from the choice of materials to their processing and use. I often consult the HQE (High Quality Environmental standard) experts in order to get as much as possible out of the research that my colleagues and I carry out into materials, lighting, choice of heating and ventilation systems, etc. I strongly believe, however, that sustainable development is, above all, a way of living and something that calls for radical change in our society.

What made you decide on ceramic tiling, and in particular Lea Ceramiche’s Masterplan range, used extensively in your design for the hotel?
I was looking for a contemporary mineral material, a neutral finish with a welcoming feel but at the same time discreet, one that was monochrome but didn’t fade into the background, that still had a strong presence. The Masterplan porcelain stoneware adapts perfectly to any area, giving a warm, contemporary touch, a welcoming and reassuring finish that you might not otherwise expect. With Masterplan, Lea Ceramiche have managed to transform the cold quality generally associated with mineral materials into a magical and convivial design ingredient.

What do you see as being the added value in Hotel Sofitel di Lione?
It’s a hotel whose heart beats in rhythm with the city, an extremely friendly and welcoming place, like the management. The Manager is a public figure in the true sense of the word; he resolved to make the hotel a genuine meeting place, one that is truly alive. Hotels are meeting places and market places par excellence, but not all of them manage to fit the mould of their surroundings as Sofitel, Lyon does.