As a flagship to their new line dedicated to millennials, Accor has appointed Jean-Paul Viguier et Associés to the conception of Jo&Joe Gentilly, their first «open house» opening in April 2019.
CLT (Cross Laminated Timber) is becoming more and more popular in the construction industry. Environmental benefits and the reduction of noise pollution are some of its assets. This bio-based and recyclable material takes part in the reduction of emissions by storing carbon instead of producing it. It is also 15 times more efficient than concrete in terms of thermal insulation.
Boarding the “boulevard périphérique”, the Paris ring road, Jo&Joe is a total of 6.000 m2 distributed over nine floors, including an underground level partially dedicated to parking. The hotel is composed of 85 rooms, private or shared, with a total of 612 beds. A restaurant, a bar, and an indoor garden will be accessible to guests and visitors. Many planted terraces will also contribute to bringing a natural and peaceful atmosphere to the complex.
On the outside, a tile of iridescent aluminium covers the facades. It absorbs light to turn it into a veil of colors and changes its aspect according to luminosity. The building shines in shades of gold during the day and turns into a blueish volume at nightfall, illuminated on the ground and top floor by a series of back-lit tiles. A series of vertical planks, dark aluminium window frames, and French-style chassis decorate the other levels.
The U-shaped building circles the garden at the ground-floor level. It appears as an extension to the indoor spaces and as it is composed of the same materials: wood, steel, concrete, soft and flowing shapes. A dozen of fruit trees (apple trees, cherry trees, pear trees, medlar trees) act as season indicators and reinforce the indoor-outdoor dialogue. With its rooftop doubling as a vegetable garden, Jo&Joe intends on enhancing biodiversity thanks to a food micro-production.
The playful and chromatically saturated inside layout designed by Penson uses the same visual codes as the first Jo&Joe open house in Hossegor. Penson has worked in the past on the headquarters of international companies such as Google or Youtube.
Jo&Joe wills to attract a clientele that’s always on the move and seeking an experience of the community. Some other houses will be open in France (Bordeaux and Lille) as well as Budapest, Edinburgh, Berlin, and Rio.
