Situated along the Rhône River, the new InterContinental hotel in Lyon, France, is grounded by its former life as Hôtel de Dieu, a hospital that took in the sick, homeless, and traveling pilgrims for more than 800 years. Luxe and detailed craftmanship was not spared in the monastic architecture, which French designer Jean-Philippe Nuel sought to capture in a modern update of the 18th-century landmark building. “I wanted to keep this dichotomy by a play of material contrasts,” he says, “and preserve this opposition between monocle and precious.”
Antonangeli wall sconces illuminate the thoughtfully curated lobby, which is lined with bookshelves backlit with a golden hue that boasts old medicine books and instruments as a nod to the building’s previous use. Eye-catching silk-wrapped screens in an iconic 18th-century rose print are made by Verel de Belval, a traditional silk manufacturer in Lyon. They provide privacy in addition to featuring hidden acoustic panels for sound absorption. “In France, Lyon has been the center of silk manufacturing,” Nuel says. The pattern honors “this ancestral know-how, but we twisted it by mixing them with the artworks of Véronique de Soultrait.”
Located underneath the Great Dome, the bar’s design allows “guests to admire the magnificence of its ornamentation and the solemnity of the place,” he says. In contrast, custom furniture from Ligne Roset modernizes the space. “At the center, where there used to be an altar, we have designed a scenography that echoes this former arrangement: four large benches mark out the space, and in the center, a mirror pad reflects the dome ornaments.”
In the corridor that connects the concierge and the lobby, Kose vases were chosen for “the whiteness of their colors and the softness of the material,” mimicking the architectural lines of the original building while juxtaposing the textured woven veneer wall panels made by Marotte, says Nuel. The installation overlooks a cozy nook where Ligne Roset’s Duomo seating creates a welcome respite from the buzzy lobby.
A redesign of Terzani’s Argent floral lamp, the illuminated metal sculpture located in the light and airy Le Dôme bar and restaurant evokes nature and “winks to the former botanicals in the inner gardens of the place,” says Nuel. “To enhance this luminous feeling, we have chosen a palette with light and soft brown [hues],” while Bocci suspended lamps hang like delicate flowers with shades reminiscent of headdresses worn by nuns.
