Set at the heart of Tangier’s lush green gardens with glistening views of the Strait of Gibraltar and the North Atlantic sea is British designer Jasper Conran’s Villa Mabrouka. An intimate 12-room summer house, which has been transformed into a tranquil haven away from the bustling neighbourhoods of Kasbah and Medina.

This was the former private residence of fashion legends Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge which has been converted into a luxury hotel. Conran was first introduced to the villa by a local antique dealer while he was on a trip to buy a tent to use for excursions for clients staying at his hotel, L’Hotel in Marrakech. This is the designer’s second project and when asked by STIR as to why he chose Morocco, he said, “Walking through the doors and into the garden, I knew instantly that this could be my second hotel architecture project. I will never forget that first feeling of coming off the narrow Tangier streets and into the villa’s green and shady courtyard filled with banana and palm trees and the emerging oasis of big sweeping lawns and an incredible garden looking out to sea.”

Designed around natural elements such as the sea, the flora, natural light and cool breeze, whilst preserving the aesthetic details introduced by Saint Laurent and Berge, Conran has weaved his thoughts and expressions in parallel to give Villa Mabrouka a mid-century modern makeover. The transformation process was exhaustive but the designer was more focused on preserving rather than reinventing. In addition to the complete modification of the infrastructure, Conran also built nine new buildings, garden cottages, three restaurants and kitchens, a rooftop terrace, a coffee bar, a swimming pool and a hammam. There are three dining pavilions that are available for private hire; one of which is designed by American architect, Stuart Church.

Reflecting on Conran’s fondness for creative planting, the garden at Villa Mabrouka is filled with sweeping lawns, banana palms, ferns, bamboo, citrus trees, hollyhocks, nasturtiums, roses, bougainvillea and agapanthus. Conran has undertaken a vast restoration and replanting programme, adding over 6,500 new plants, shrubs and trees.  

The villa’s renovation extends to the outdoors, the larger pool is carved into the clifftop’s rocks and cascades with water and the smaller plunge pool design shimmers in emerald herringbone local tiles.

Almost everything in the hotel has been custom designed, from the tableware and linens to the fabrics, furniture, and lighting. Conran has drawn the designs for most of the pieces and some have been deduced from bits of furniture previously in the villa. All the furniture has been made in Morocco. Emphasising on simple, graphic silhouettes, the decorative details include 1930s lighting, Roman mosaic and the ancient local tradition of handmade Bejmet and Zellige glazed clay tiles.

Against the backdrop of whitewashed walls with hints of ochre, shades of green, blue and blush pink accents, the designer has opted for a colour scheme which captures the simplicity and elegance of the Mediterranean landscape. He uses texture and weaves with the softness of flowing voile curtains, intricate fretwork, brass hardware, veined marble, and tactility through rattan used for wall panels and furniture, Mother-of-pearl inlaid mirrors and side tables, and Mauritanian leather and reed rugs. Glazed linens in shades of chutney, caramel, emerald and rose have been mixed with delicate block-printed florals and antique Fez embroideries.

Inspired by Saint Laurent’s desire for Villa Mabrouka to reflect the elegance and beauty of his childhood home in the 1940s, in Oran, Algeria, Conran’s design ethos is a mix of vernacular and contemporary. It is a Mediterranean house with gentle nuances of Morocco; the villa exudes glamour in its purity and simplicity. According to the designer, you are not walking into a Moroccan palace but you are entering a house you might have once found in the 1940s in the South of France. Pierre Bergé described Tangier as a city in permanent conversation with Europe. Yves Saint Laurent has played a significant role in shaping the dreams of Conran; Villa Mabrouka is an ode to the fashion legend.

"Comfort is key to a design approach,” says Conran. When he speaks of comfort he is thinking in terms of the weight and fluffiness of the duvet, the feel of the sheets. He believes it is sensory and it all lies in the details to make your stay an unforgettable experience. “I want Villa Mabrouka to feel deeply personal, like staying in a home rather than a hotel, reflecting the way I personally like to live, the things that I enjoy and appreciate,” he adds. “I want it to be a place where you can spend time taking in the beauty of everything around you.”

What differentiates the designer’s Tangier and Marrakech projects is the environment. One is set in the Mediterranean with panoramic views of the sky, sea and gardens and the other exudes sandy terracotta hues of Marrakech. The designer likes to incorporate elements that establish a coherent relationship between nature, human biology, and the building; physically, visually, and emotionally.

When STIR asked Conran, what makes Villa Mabrouka a special destination, he said, “While some will come to explore the city and its coastline, many people will want to come because it's going to be a very relaxing experience. A destination in itself, it is secluded and calm with all the amenities and upscale services, making it a perfect escape.”