Maison Brummell Majorelle in Morocco comes alive with dreamy arched motifs

What happens when the ties between hospitality spaces and vernacular architectural elements are contemporised?

Bridging its context in its modern setting, the Maison Brummell Majorelle, a new boutique hotel in Marrakech, Morocco, surrounds itself with abundant vegetation and running water across its myriad pleasing volumes and geometric apertures, conjuring the pleasing image of an oasis deep in a scorching desert. Conceived under the guidance of New Zealand-based architect Bergendy Cooke with an architectural team in Marrakech, Amine Abouraoui Architects, the 8-room architectural gem sits next to Yves Saint Laurent’s famous Jardin Majorelle, and is inspired by the local vernacular, ‘without replicating it,’ revelling in its distinctly attractive and ‘playful contemporary language’ while maintaining a reference to the site’s rich architectural history.

Three years in the making, this labour of love was built from scratch for Austrian hotelier Christian Schallert, who runs the Brummell Projects hospitality company, with an idea to host his friends, family, and wanderlust travellers, as a symbol of ‘casual luxury.’ “Less shine, less bling, and more soul. It is a unique boutique experience taking the utmost care of travellers from all over the world—Brummell offers a wide selection of accommodations all sharing the same values: focus on detail, creativity, and impeccable service. Lush and dreamy, it's almost unreal,” the hospitality company relays.

A pink, lyrical oasis of rest and luxury

“The Maison is a playful interpretation of (recognisable) Arabic architectural elements distilled through foreign eyes. It is inspired by its rich architecture but purposely does not replicate it. The building’s sculptural form pays homage to the ancient rampart walls of the Marrakech Medina,” explains Bergendy Cooke.

Evocative of a sandcastle or sculpture, the subtle yet gorgeous openings of the 805 sqm hospitality design transition rhythmically into its private interior design spread across three levels. Deep, tolerant recesses serve like the ancient Mashrabiya screens (these served to imbue privacy for women), providing solitude to the bedrooms, where the deeper recesses have been implemented by the design team. Others create quaint private terraces, as an extension of the bedrooms, connecting blissfully to the surrounding gardens, like something out of an old-fashioned Hollywood film. The hotel architecture also enjoys a neighbourhood that is quiet and surrounded by lush residential villas, an ideal setting that is quaint, dreamy and luxurious at the same time.

The monolithic sculptural mass, 'made for design and architecture lovers,' is intercepted lyrically by arched openings and carved voids across varied scales and sizes, reminiscent of Ricardo Bofill's dreamy and timeless 'La Muralla Roja' in Spain. “Wanting to showcase the rich artisanal heritage of Morocco we embraced local artisans, materials, and their application in a less traditional context,” they continue.

A marriage of vernacular and modern materiality

The lower level of the Moroccan architecture is almost hypogeal, resting nearly a storey below ground, hosting a lounge, dining area, kitchen, outdoor spaces, and a pool, to become the hub of the public space. A traditional Hammam (a Turkish bath that is a type of steam bath or a place of public bathing) with its own plunge pool is also included in the communal spatial programme of this floor, and finished in local marble and water-resistant Tadlelakt, a type of hand-polished plaster applied with an incredible skill that the locals have perfected over centuries, according to the collaborators.

This was applied to all exterior recesses in pink to match the Pisé (Pisé de terre, or 'rammed earth,' an ancient form of building construction, a mix of earth and quicklime) and interior walls and ceilings in bone colour. This created the true sinuous forms of the interiors as the material and finish lend itself to being organic in its application," the New Zealand-based architects explain.

Terrazzo, in grey and pink, is also used extensively both inside and out. Within the grounded interiors, the employed material is successful in creating 'a datum' that fluctuates in height, defining spaces and extending to the elements of basins and baths within the bedrooms themselves. Bejmat handmade tiles were used to lower the public spaces and extend to the terrace, developing a fluid transition.

A dreamy motif of recurring arches

Bergendy Cooke also embraced the instantly familiar element of Moroccan vernacular architecture, those of plastered surfaces and arches, without blindly replicating it—they went on to ‘reverse’ it to create openings at higher levels, ensuing in the creation of balconies and recesses. “Intentionally it was an exercise in reduction, simplifying the language to just a singular element. The solidity of the building was another reference to the local vernacular, enabling the building to have some independent ability to keep cool in summer and warm in winter," they elaborate.

The entry to the hospitality architecture from the street was elevated to accommodate the floor underneath, responding to the 8-metre height restriction set by the local authorities, due to its location close to the famed Majorelle Gardens and the relatively new YSL (Yves Saint Laurent) Museum. The ground level houses a reception, a small lounge and the three generous ‘Garden’ bedrooms, all of which enjoy their own private gardens and outdoor baths. Above, an additional five bedrooms, all with private terraces are spread on the first floor. “The intention was to make them all unique in their own way to avoid predictable hotel monotony,” they explain.

“Beginning with a sculptural solid mass, we carved selected incisions and voids varying in scale where necessary. This provides a variety of spatial experiences through scale, light and shadow. The surrounding gardens use a similar language. Varying levels of planting form private gardens for guests and a dynamic layer of foliage throughout, contrasting to the sculptural building form and enhancing the idea of an urban oasis,” the creators share.

Highlights and accents of brass denote transitions between various areas, from street to hotel, and from public to private spaces in the hotel’s design. According to Bergendy Cooke, the legacy of the traditional building methods was essential to the project, fully utilising local materials and exquisite artisanal craftsmanship to create a contemporary building typology. “This also enabled a more sustainable building solution,” they say.

A custom-built, classic Moroccan kitchen awaits visitors at the ground level, serving delicious breakfast in a comfortable dining room. Further down the hall is Maison Brummell Majorelle’s most cosy room with a fireplace and numerous modular sofas. “Pampering and well-being are of utmost importance for Brummell and therefore the house has its own hammam with a massage room, steam bath, and heated plunge pool. This boutique house is made to feel at home. An ideal place to unwind from the hectic medina hours,” the hospitality company shares.

“The result is an outstanding architecture gem, a harmonious place where high-end design, beautiful bespoke furniture and a quality finish come together,” they continue.

"This house is a dream for design lovers and has opened its doors for up to 16 guests. The modern aesthetic is complemented by design classics such as the Egon Eierman chairs and Ingo Maurer's paper lamp. On-site made terrazzo stone floors join smoothly together with the famous Moroccan artisan traditional tadelakt material. All rooms are equipped with handcrafted wood and brass furniture from high-end local producer Maison Nicole, suspension lamps by the Italians Vesoi, all faucets and taps by Italian brand Neve and Gio Ponti´s Lama door handles. Local artisans were responsible for transforming Bergendy Cooke's designs of brass lamps and tables, wooden bed bases and bedside tables into reality,” Brummell adds.

"Inspired by the language of Moroccan architecture, and interpreted through the eyes of a foreigner, it is not immediately recognisable as typical local architecture but there are elements in its language that reference local forms and shapes. “It was important to be playful. This is not a serious building but rather an enchanting one that (hopefully) evokes delight. It is neither prescriptive nor wanting to replicate local architecture. The brief was to create a unique and memorable destination. It pays homage to Morocco’s rich architectural history including all the finishes throughout but intentionally references them in a less traditional manner. An important function of the Maison is relaxation and contemplation,” they conclude.

Project Details

Name: Maison Brummell Majorelle
Location: Marrakech, Morocco
Client: Christian Schallert / Brummell
Year of completion: 2023
Area: 805 sqm
Architect and Interior Design: Bergendy Cooke
Design team: Bergendy Cooke with Amine Abouraoui of Amine Abouraoui Architects (Marrakech team) including Wafa Bassiouni, Soumia Ghazi, Oumaima Faraj