From Accommodation to Hospitality

For many years, the hospitality industry relied heavily on standardized models. Today, however, the value of a hotel is also measured by its ability to offer an experience that cannot be found anywhere else.

Every destination possesses its own geography, history, culture, customs, and sometimes even collective imaginaries, all of which represent an extraordinarily rich source of inspiration for a project. Our role is to reveal this essence and transform it into a spatial experience.

At Arc 1600, the refurbishment of La Cachette took the mountain landscape as the guiding thread of the project. Inspired by Charlotte Perriand’s approach, the concept was to bring the mountain into the hotel itself. Circulation routes become hiking trails, each floor evokes a different layer of the terrain, and the materials extend the experience of the landscape beyond the façade.

In Annecy, for the Black Bass Hotel, the waters of the lake and the world beneath its surface became the foundation of the narrative. Colours, materials, signage, and furnishings all contribute to evoking an immersive underwater environment. The project also illustrates our narrative design approach at the scale of an entire hotel.

In Aix-les-Bains, Monsieur Le Baron draws its identity from the city’s cultural heritage and from the figure of Marie de Solms, the independent and visionary 19th-century woman of letters. The hotel tells more than the story of a building; it conveys an era, a mindset, and a distinctive way of inhabiting the city.

This attention to context takes on particular significance at a time when a large proportion of hospitality projects are rooted in refurbishment and adaptive reuse strategies.

What should be preserved when transforming a place? Beyond its architecture, a place is also defined by its uses, atmosphere, urban and landscape setting, as well as the culture and collective memory to which it belongs.

The Folk’ project embodies this approach to cultural preservation and enhancement. Its ambition is to reveal and transmit the Wendat heritage through a contemporary hospitality experience. Graphic identity, wayfinding, colours, materials, and spatial storytelling draw inspiration from the knowledge, symbols, and language of this Indigenous Nation, enabling the destination to preserve and celebrate a cultural legacy while embedding it within contemporary uses and expectations.

In Dakar, the transformation of the Terrou-Bi Hotel is rooted in Senegalese cultural identity rather than in modernization alone. Through the use of materials, local craftsmanship, artwork, and a contemporary interpretation of Senegalese landscapes, the project seeks to strengthen the spirit of the place while aligning it with the evolving standards of international hospitality.

This transformation of the hospitality industry is also closely linked to changing lifestyles. The boundaries between work, leisure, hospitality, culture, and dining are becoming increasingly blurred. As society becomes more hybrid, so too do the places we inhabit.

Hotels are no longer visited solely as places to sleep. They have become spaces where people work for a few hours, hold meetings, share meals, attend events, or simply enjoy spending time in a welcoming environment. This evolution fundamentally reshapes the way hospitality venues are designed. Spaces can no longer be single-purpose; they must accommodate a variety of uses throughout the day and across the seasons.

At La Cachette, the hotel extends far beyond its traditional accommodation function. Conceived as a multifunctional destination, it incorporates a lounge, bar, and coworking space that play a central role in the guest experience. These new uses complement the conventional hospitality offering, transforming the property into a true living hub—welcoming not only travelers, but also local residents and digital nomads alike.

This hybridization responds to a deeper expectation: the desire to continue living, working, connecting, and unwinding according to one’s own habits—even when away from home. Today’s travelers are looking for places that resonate with their lifestyles, interests, and values.

Choosing a hotel is no longer simply about selecting a destination; it is also about choosing an atmosphere, a relationship with time, and a way of experiencing a place. Some seek a strong connection to nature, others a rich cultural experience, a commitment to environmental responsibility, or spaces that encourage interaction and conviviality. In this context, the stay becomes as much an expression of personal identity and sensibility as it is a journey to a particular destination.