La Mamounia, a second phase of renovation by Jouin Manku

PHASE TWO - The centenary renovation

With each project, Jouin Manku’s aim is always the same—to push design boundaries, conjure up a sense of surprise and wonder, and evoke unforgettable emotions. The studio’s latest phase of work on La Mamounia in Marrakech is no exception. Its unveiling this fall coincides with the mythical hotel’s centenary and marks a new chapter that promises to be as magical as those before.

Jouin Manku added a first new chapter to its history back in 2020 with the refurbishment of the restaurants and legendary Churchill BarChurchill Bar, plus the creation of a Pierre Hermé tearoomPierre tearoom, a pool pavilion pavilion, a new wine cellar and an intimist cinemaintimist cinema. These additions were aimed at enhancing the overall guest experience, making it more enriching, fluid, and filled with delightful surprises.The second phase of work follows in the same vein, but allows the studio to push the envelope further by focusing on the main public spaces, which are steeped in history and iconic to the hotel.

“Over the last hundred years, La Mamounia has evolved as a tableau vivant in which architects and decorators have harmoniously blended their visions during successive renovations. Like layers of paint, each has enriched this perpetually evolving work, stirring the soul of this place so steeped in history.”

Patrick & Sanjit – Jouin Manku

Other design intentions include creating stronger links to the lush vegetation of La Mamounia's legendary 37-acre garden and the integration of Moroccan crafts. Traditional materials like hammered metal and embossed leather were incorporated, rugs manufactured locally, and references to vernacular jewelry and furniture embraced.

The result is a series of spaces, each designed to have its own distinct personality, but also to compose a harmonious whole. Some were intended to provide dramatic visual fireworks; others more subdued, intimate moments. Their functions have been redefined or enhanced, providing a place for every mood, every time of day, every occasion, and every guest. Upon arrival, visitors are immediately greeted by the elaborate façade of the main entrance, with its mosaics and painted frescoes now illuminated by a series of new openwork brass pendants and lanterns that look as if they have always been in place, their moucharabieh-like motifs created using chemical etching techniques to endow them with greater finesse.

As soon as the doors open, you immediately catch a glimpse of the gleaming Centenary Chandelier in the background. First, however, you pass through the lobby with its low-key look and two separate seating areas, one grouped around a fireplace, the other arranged in front of a large map of Africa. The hues are gentle and light, the finely crafted furniture clad in a combination of smooth leather, fabric, and brass.

Directly behind it is the hotel’s heart, its nerve center and most spectacular space—the Grand Hall, from whose lofty pyramid-shaped ceiling the Centenary Chandelier now hangs.
The first necklace, conceived by the studio and developed in collaboration with the Czech-based lighting manufacturer, Lasvit, is composed of sections of different types of glass (ribbed, sandblasted, twisted, transparent...) that have been strung together. The inner necklace was inspired by traditional “tamazight” jewelry, which is characterized by the linking together of many highly decorative metallic elements. Recalling the splendor of Berber ornament, it is made up of long loops of red rope, to which more than five hundred handmade silver and nickel-silver pendants have been attached.

The fixture’s shimmering, optical effects are magnified by an ornamental fountain placed on the floor beneath it, where water flows over an oval-shaped slab of glass engraved with sinuous wave motifs and below that, a mirror offers a kaleidoscope of reflections. No two perceptions of the chandelier are ever the same. They change constantly according to viewpoint and time of day, thus providing a truly unique experience.

The other major public spaces all feed off from the Grand Hall. Accessed via majestic, soaring brass arches, the Salon d’Honneur has been transformed into a veritable hub of conviviality thanks to its central seating area. The existing woven wicker has been kept on the walls, but they are now also equipped with smoked-wood shelving on which photos of La Mamounia’s illustrious guests of the past are displayed.

To the other side of the Grand Hall is the Alcôves lounge, devised to transport visitors into a world of mystery and culture. Its six distinct seating areas are gently illuminated by backlit moucharabieh ceiling panels and separated by glass screens and curtains to create a soothing sense of intimacy. Fitted with low-slung banquettes inspired by classical Moroccan salons called “sedari”, each features a display of objects, sculptures and paintings based on a different theme (The Art of Tea, Traditional Clothing, the Berber Knight...) set against a hammered-metal end wall.

Past the Grand Hall, the atmosphere becomes brighter and more festive as you enter the Allée Majorelle, which acts as the seating area for the open bar on its left. It also leads to the Salon Majorelle and beyond to the renowned garden, whose influence on the interior design is omnipresent. In the Salon Majorelle, colored-glass windows were replaced by transparent panes to provide greater visibility towards the exterior and the high-backed chairs conceived to evoke the form of leaves. Plant-like tones were chosen to upholster the central banquette in the Allée Majorelle, while a series of glass display cases engraved with motifs taken from the ceiling fresco have not only been fitted with gradated blue mirrors, but also with colored petals that appear to float inside.

Next door, the white onyx-topped bar clearly celebrates the inspiration of the Art Deco era with its geometric façade consisting of thick, cast, faceted glass ingots that sparkle when permeated by light. A similar effect can be found in the aquatic ambiance of the new spa reception, where a rich blue-green carpet is reflected in the vertical lines of the bush-hammered glass of the welcome desk, reminiscent of a waterfall frozen in motion.

Phase One - The Renovation of a legend

"Everything has to change for nothing to change" writes Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa in Le Guépard. Like a director who begins his film with a long sequence shot in which the camera pans out into the perspective that leads to the garden, the viewer would think that everything is in place, as it always has been, for it is the reassuring sensation of time standing still that enjoins us to peace. For La Mamounia to remain suspended in an endless present, it must constantly reinvent itself.

The Tea Room by Pierre Hermé

Alongside the restaurants renovation, we've sprinkled in a few surprises for visitors. You'll have to wander around to discover them. The first is on the way to the spa and occupies two spaces.It's a tea room by Pierre Hermé, based on the principle of Moroccan lounges, with banquettes running along the walls and facing each other. They are oriented towards the center of the first space, where we have installed a fountain that seems to emerge from the marble floor. The water reflects a huge glass chandelier.
The experience continues in the adjoining courtyard, the Moroccan Riad in all its excellence. We love this place, so calm, so perfect in its geometry. We've simply added seats and lanterns to make you want to sit back and enjoy one of Pierre Hermé's creations. To be able to take the time for a moment of pleasure.

L'Asiatique by Jean-Georges Vongerichten

A stay at La Mamounia should be a series of unique experiences, and the various restaurants are in themselves the major players in this project. Each has its own personality. They complement each other. We opened the walls of the former Italian restaurant and transformed it into "L'Asiatique" by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, a sensual and intimate place. The original traditional Moroccan décor blends perfectly with the spirit of the chef's cuisine. The transition between the two worlds is made by the furniture. They are a mix of Chinese, Japanese and Thai influences. Light is of the utmost importance to us, and Stéphane Carratero has brought his gentle magic to the table, so that when evening arrives, "l'Asiatique" becomes the restaurant for lovers and others.

L'Italien by Jean-Georges Vongerichten

At a glance, the former restaurant Le Français becomes L'Italien, also under the direction of Jean-Georges Vongerichten. It has been enlarged to take the form of a winter garden. The relationship between the restaurant and the garden is total. The large bay windows that enclose it open wide onto the vegetation, letting in light and freshness. The kitchen is in front of our eyes, it is the show, it is life. We placed it at the center of the space, beneath an immense glass installation. A fresco over twenty meters long seems to mirror the garden. Between real and unreal, past and future. Whether you're a family or a couple, a group of friends, the Italian restaurant will be an easy choice to spend a chic and relaxed moment.

The Bar Churchill

When evening comes, a door opens here in the Churchill bar. It's always been there and is a landmark for hotel regulars. We've completely redesigned it to make it ultra-intimate, like a smoked oak jewel case with a carved black marble block in the middle. We have not forgotten La Mamounia's railway past, and the proportions of this space are reminiscent of those of a pullman wagon. The Churchill is also the gateway to a new offering: cinema. We've really indulged ourselves by offering a dream experience that combines culture and comfort. We can't wait to see Hitchcock's "The Man Who Knew Too Much" again, filmed right here.

The Wine Library

Let's talk about the wine library.
Here, you go underground to discover a treasure trove of La Mamounia sommeliers' finds. A beautiful table in stone and lava stone. A large zenithal opening leads the light, through a rope chandelier, which illuminates the liquids to reveal their secrets. This work is typical of the exceptional skills of Moroccan craftsmen, which we have brought into the 21st century. It is the fundamental ambition of this project to make La Mamounia a living example of the perpetual reinvention of a culture.

The Pool Pavilion

The pool pavilion is a land of plenty. We wanted to celebrate generosity and pleasure. At the center is a blue ceramic fountain, the point around which all the more appetizing offerings gravitate. A circular chandelier of fabric and metal dominates the whole.

We used one of our favorite materials: enamelled lava. It's indestructible, and the little crackle effect that covers it gives it the chic of time passing. A door opens onto a new space, the temple of sweetness, as Sanjit puts it. At the center of the space, clad in polished, hammered copper, sits a block of peach-colored marble on which rest the inventions of the world's best pastry chef, Pierre Hermé.

The Centenary Chandelier

Directly behind it is the hotel’s heart, its nerve center and most spectacular space—the Grand Hallthe Hall, from whose lofty pyramid-shaped ceiling the Centenary ChandelierCentenary Chandelier now hangs.

Disproportionate in size, yet visually light, it embodies the very essence of Jouin Manku’s approach, whose aim was to forge a fine balance between modernity and tradition, cosmopolitan and Moroccan culture, craftsmanship and technology, in order to transport the interiors firmly into the 21st century while honoring La Mamounia’s illustrious past and inimitable, timeless allure.

The first necklace, conceived by the studio and developed in collaboration with the Czech-based lighting manufacturer, Lasvit, is composed of sections of different types of glass (ribbed, sandblasted, twisted, transparent...) that have been strung together. The inner necklace was inspired by traditional “tamazight” jewelry, which is characterized by the linking together of many highly decorative metallic elements. Recalling the splendor of Berber ornament, it is made up of long loops of red rope, to which more than five hundred handmade silver and nickel-silver pendants have been attached.

PROCESS

Phase Two

In figures

PHASE TWO

Chandelier

- L 3805 x W 8404 x H 620 mm

- Glass cords: 32 articulated cords with a total length of 308 m incorporating LEDs
- Composition 3572 Bohemian glass beads of 9 different types with programmable DMX lighting system - Made by glass artisans in the Cristal Valley in the Czech Republic

- Craftsman: LASVIT

- Berber suspension: 32 locally hand-crafted ropes with a total length of 207 m

- Composition: 649 Berber goldsmith's hangers made using traditional silver and nickel silver techniques by Moroccan craftsmen in Fez - Morocco.

- Craftsman: ARABESQUE MORESQUE

- Total weight: 1500 kg

The basin

- L 340 x W 800 x H 21 cm

- Decorative glass surface under water :

- 35 plates of hand-crafted hollowed glass to simulate on the surface relief the undulating movement of drops falling into the water and with hand-applied silver silk-screening to reflect the luster in the water with a moiré effect - Made by glass artisans in Paris

- Craftsman: Ateliers Bernard Pictet

Area of scope: 1790m²

- Lobby: 219m²

- Great Hall: 182m²

- Alcoves: 243m

- Circulation areas: 268m²

- Sanitary: 60m²
-Majorelle aisle: 160m²

- Majorelle Bar: 40m²

- Salon Majorelle: 85m²

- Terrace: 330m²

- Terrace extension: 120m²

- SPA reception area: 70m²

PHASE ONE

Spaces :

- Tearoom: 147 m² (147 sq.m.)
- Churchill bar: 72 sq.m.
- Cinema room: 85 sq.m.
- Wine library: 98 m² + Lanterns
- Swimming pool pavilion: 197 m²
- Pool bar: approx. 20 sq.m.
- Italian restaurant: 560 sq.m.
- Asian restaurant: Interior 192 + Exterior 68 = 260 m²
- Moroccan bar: Exterior 157 + Interior 120 = 277 m²

Capacity :

- Tearoom: 42 (26 tearooms + 16 patios)
- Bar Churchill: 9
- Cinema room: 20
- Wine library: 12
- Pool pavilion: +/- 50 (standing room only)
- Pool bar: 16
- Italian restaurant: 138 seats (118 seated + 10 bar + 10 table d'hôtes)
- Asian restaurant: 119 (46 outdoor + 73 indoor)
- Moroccan bar: 83 (26 bar + 57 lounge)

Information

PHASE TWO

Client	La Mamounia
Architectural concept, architectural design and design	Jouin Manku Patrick Jouin Sanjit Manku Bénédicte Bonnefoi Charlotte Delorme Gaultier Bigot Olivier Evrard Lore Gérard Bruno Pimpanini Fanny Peurou Kenza Benkhicham Louis Richard Marschal Théa Brion Juliane Caron
Architect of record	OGER
General carpenter	TALASUR JOUFFRE FRANCE AGENCEMENT CAA Rénover Habitat
Lighting designer	Voyons Voir - Stéphane Carratero - Paris, France
Craftmen	Curiosité Textile La Compagnie du Verre Atelier Bernard Pictet Lasvit Artco
Custom furniture Custom lighting	Cassina Leucos
Year	2023

PHASE ONE

Client	La Mamounia
Interior architecture et design	Jouin Manku Patrick Jouin Sanjit Manku Jacques Goubin - Yann Brossier Bénédicte BonnefoiPascal Legrand Antoine Bonichon Margaux Lafuente Céline Allard Marion Guerry Alexandre Doucin Olivier Evrard Elise Teillier Melissa Millot Philippe JacquesYijun Mo Bruno Pimpanini François Isone Julien Lize Gaultier Bigot
Architect of record	OGER Maroc
Lighting designer	Voyons Voir
Craftsmen	Range of lanterns - BROSSIER SADERNE Tearoom and Italian restaurant chandeliers - LASVIT Tearoom wall weaving - fabrics produced by Pietro Seminelli Fresco Italian restaurant - Cédric Peltier & Ceramic printing - ArtTiles Pool pavilion chandelier - Veronese Woven chandelier Œnothèque & Moroccan bar - Mixevent Pierre Hermé's tea room carts - Paul Champs / Caméléon Concept Asian pavilion - Marie Hélène Soyer (Emaux Métaux) Custom furniture - Cassina Upholstery fabrics - Pierre Frey (Laetitia Lefevre) Upholstery fabrics - Rubelli (Charles Grégoire Sainte Marie) Fountain ST - Jean Bertaud Stones - Furrer Enameled lava - Pierre de Plan (Alain Faivre) Parquet floors - ROCACHER Living room furniture - KNOLL Custom outdoor furniture - ETHIMO Custom outdoor furniture - CASSINA
Year	2020