In Le Lavandou, on the southern coast of France, PietriArchitectes has completed Hôtel Les Roches, a project that redefines the dialogue between architecture and its landscape. Situated between rock and sea, the hotel emerges from its slope as if it had always belonged there. The result is a complete reconstruction, executed with precision and restraint, where technical mastery is hidden behind the serenity of the design.
HOTELS
The site carries deep historical weight. Built in the 1930s, Hôtel Les Roches was a discreet Riviera destination known for its authenticity and quiet sophistication. Decades of additions in the 1950s and 1980s layered the structure with varying architectural identities, forming a patchwork of styles. When PietriArchitectes took over, the challenge lay in restoring unity while preserving the aura of a place shaped by time.
The new intervention takes full advantage of the natural topography. The design follows the terrain, cascading down toward the sea through a series of layered platforms. The base, constructed from locally quarried Bormes stone, houses rooms that open directly to the horizon through large picture windows. These vaulted spaces, reminiscent of boat sheds, offer guests an elemental experience, a closeness to rock, water, and light. Above, three main volumes rise in tiers, their fragmentation allowing the landscape to breathe.
Vegetation plays a central role in this architecture. Between volumes, planted interstitial spaces and stone stairways filled with Mediterranean flora connect the structures. The green roofs and terraces extend the geography of the slope, softening transitions between built and natural elements. The upper buildings use ultra-high-performance fibre-reinforced concrete, forming lightweight balconies and sun-shading screens perforated with rounded motifs. These subtle patterns filter light, creating a contemporary interpretation of Mediterranean ornament.
The project achieves visual lightness through structural precision. Each building sits independently within the steep topography, embedded carefully into the rock. This fragmentation ensures both stability and harmony with the site’s natural contours. Raw Bormes stone grounds the composition, offering tactile warmth and permanence, while UHPC elements introduce technical finesse. The resulting balance between mass and levity defines the architectural character of Hôtel Les Roches.
PietriArchitectes conceived the project as a synthesis of memory and invention, a dialogue between geological solidity and crafted refinement. Every line and material decision contributes to this equilibrium. Hôtel Les Roches stands not as a replica of its past but as a continuation of it, capturing the essence of Mediterranean construction with precision and grace.
