Monaco: World's most prestigious location gets a futuristic facelift

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This was published 8 years ago

Monaco: World's most prestigious location gets a futuristic facelift

By Ute Junker
Harbour and marina of Monte Carlo.

Harbour and marina of Monte Carlo.Credit: iStock

It is as startling as seeing your grandmother sporting a punk haircut. The futuristic Pavillons de Monte-Carlo – smooth white curves of buildings, like river pebbles shaped by the endless rushing water – would be eye-catching wherever they were built. Setting them in the manicured Boulingrins Gardens, however - adjacent to Monaco's famous Place du Casino, an elegant Belle Epoque square that is the country's most prestigious address – is a deliberate provocation, not an approach you would expect to find in Europe's most well-groomed country.

Monaco is known for many things, but architecture is not one of them. Yet in this tiny country covering just two square kilometres, architectural issues are particularly pressing. For builders, the only way is up, and creating a new building usually requires the removal of an old one. Working within such tight constraints, there is a natural tendency to stick with what works. However, as the presence of the Pavillons suggests, this may be changing.

Designed by Richard Martinet and Chérif Jahlan, the Pavillons are a solution to a uniquely Monagesque problem: the need for more high-end shopping. Retail is big business in Monaco, accounting for almost 10 per cent of the country's turnover. The boutiques that have taken up residence in the Pavillons - Balenciaga, Boucheron, McQueen, Bottega Veneta – were formerly housed in the prestigious Hôtel de Paris. When that establishment closed for a four-year refurbishment, alternative showrooms were needed. One suspects the tenants are delighted with their new avant-garde homes: the sinuous shapes and shiny surfaces exert a mesmerising effect on passersby, drawing them in for a closer look. Business is probably looking up.

Yacht Club Monaco and Pavillions.

Yacht Club Monaco and Pavillions.

The Pavillons, which opened late last year, are just part of Monaco's changing landscape. As some buildings disappear – such as the Sporting d'Hiver, one of Monaco's few art deco buildings and the site of countless charity balls, demolished to make way for a Richard-Rodgers designed complex of luxury apartments, offices and more high-end boutiques – new ones are born.

One of the most striking new arrivals is the Norman Foster-designed Monaco Yacht Club. The headquarters for the exclusive club – new members must be sponsored by two existing ones – is designed to resemble an ocean liner, and dominates the harbour. Those lucky enough to be invited inside can admire Jacques Garcia's striking interior design, which continues the nautical theme. The top-floor bar, the Riva Aquarama Lounge, has interiors inspired by the tender of the same name, and has featured in design publications around the world.

Not everything in Monaco revolves around yachting and shopping, however. High-end residences are another growth area. Monaco's status as a tax haven continues to attract high flyers from around the world – everyone from musicians Bono and Paul McCartney to Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton – who naturally require suitably lavish residences. Landmark buildings such as the Residence Le Simona, twin towers with eye-catching latticed exteriors, contain typically luxurious dwellings, with each of the 24 apartments boasting its own private pool.

Monaco Yacht Club.

Monaco Yacht Club.

Le Simona, however, is not the country's most exclusive apartment block. That would be the Tour Odeon, another double skyscraper that is still under construction. Not only is it the highest building in Monaco at 170 metres, it is also home to the world's most expensive penthouse apartment. On the market for over €300 million, the apartment covers 3300 square metres and has an al fresco dancefloor, from which guests can take a waterslide into the circular swimming pool.

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Ambitious as the Tour Odeon is, however, it pales in comparison with Le Portier, a planned new district that will be reclaimed from the sea. It is not Monaco's first reclamation project: over the past 150 years, Monaco has increased its area by 25 per cent through reclamation projects such as the Fontvielle business district. The original plans for Le Portier, scuttled by the global financial crisis, had strong eco credentials; the project's sponsor, Prince Albert, insisted that the entire extension be built on stilts to minimise impacts on the marine environment.

The project has been scaled back since then. Details are still scarce, but it is expected that the €1 billion, six-hectare project will take a decade to complete. The Renzo Piano-led team, which also includes architects Valode et Pistre and Alexandre Giraldo, have been commissioned to deliver a district that offers high-end residences, offices and, of course, luxury shops.

Dining room at the Monaco Yacht Club.

Dining room at the Monaco Yacht Club.

TRIP NOTES

MORE INFORMATION

visitmonaco.com

Monte Carlo Pavillions.

Monte Carlo Pavillions.

GETTING THERE

Emirates Airlines operates daily flights from Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney to Dubai, with five onward connections per week from Dubai to the city of Nice. Monaco is seven minutes from Nice by helicopter, or 30 minutes by car.

STAYING THERE

Hotel Metropole Monte-Carlo, 4 Avenue de la Madone, offers intimate luxury, a central location, and restaurants run by superchef Joel Robuchon. Rates start at €350 . See metropole.com

The writer travelled courtesy of Visit Monaco.

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