Architecture News Plus (ANP) – Architecture and Design Magazine

Sandpiper - Club Med

This is a project by Agence François Champsaur and it is located at Miami, FLorida, United States. Project's program: Hotel renovation. There are nine images for Sandpiper - Club Med.

: © Agence François Champsaur

Project details

Project name: Sandpiper - Club Med
Location: Miami, FLorida, United States
Program: Hotel renovation
Year: Completion: 2011
Project by: Agence François Champsaur

Project images

Designer's statement

The Sandpiper project is above all the story of the renovation of an existing hotel and its integration into its natural environment, full of sights and sounds that bathe the senses and perfect for rediscovering the local wildlife. Located in Sandpiper Bay in Florida, surrounded by mangrove swamps, the site enjoys an exceptional natural setting of perfect beauty. It boasts a view of and direct access to the St Lucie River, as well as luxuriant fauna and flora, with the ocean nearby.

At requested by Club Med, François Champsaur was striking to tell a new story for Sandpiper which corresponded to its outstanding environment, by restoring the surrounding vegetation within the very heart of the project, thus healing the scars left by human activity. Over 300 palm trees have been planted, the buildings given new and wooden exteriors, the roofs re-laid using shingle and the design of the façades radically changed. In addition, the existing constructions will eventually be covered by climbing plants. This work was combined with bringing the establishment into line with contemporary hotel business standards, and hereby a subtle balance between nature, colour and comfort.

The project entrusted to François Champsaur concerned the Club, Deluxe, Deluxe Family and Club Family rooms, as well as the following public areas:

bar and terrace
restaurants and terraces
main swimming pool
peaceful swimming pool
reception
conference centre

Exteriors:

The peaceful swimming pool, known as the “river pool”, is located on the southern tip of the river bank at the end of a large landing stage. The pool has an infinity edge, mirror pool-type design. Its orientation provides it with exceptionally good exposure to daylight, from sunrise to sunset. It overlooks the river, giving the pleasant feeling of swimming directly in the river.

The edges of this swimming pool are equipped with large, taupe-coloured canopy rest beds. These rest beds were created by François Champsaur and resemble little wooden huts, offering a comfortable and cosy refuge that allows contemplation of the surrounding natural beauty; tropical flowers, manatees, rare and protected birds, groups of dolphins swimming up the river… as if on the prow of a ship, the ever-changing sights offer an unrivalled experience.

The heart of the hotel is constituted by the huge 50 m x 20 m main swimming pool. The pool area is like a large patio, linking the accommodation areas with the restaurant, set in grey, wooden decks and surrounded by gardens of white sand and plants, containing red cloth daybeds.

Both beside the swimming pool and in the gardens, the outdoor furniture is upholstered in bright red fabric. Running as a leitmotiv through the décor, this colour sets off the greens of the natural surroundings, while providing a contrast with the blue of the sky and the St Lucie River.

The choice of colours, materials, buildings and wall coverings was carried out in a meticulous manner on Sandpiper’s behalf, taking various aspects of the local natural and cultural heritage into account:

the closeness of Miami and its colourful modernist 1950s and 60s style architecture
the gentleness of the natural light
the luxuriance of the vegetation

Interiors:

In the public area interiors extensive use has been made of bright colours, which are a symbol of both modernity and tradition. Miami is not far away and its colourful world and the gentleness of the light give a feeling of dolce vita.

The restaurant is composed of a large number of rooms in which large clapboarded wooden huts have been constructed. These are reminiscent of the small coastguard’s houses on stilts, which are often to be seen on the beaches. Large banquettes have been added to give structure to the space and break the monotony of the tables.

Each of the huts is a different colour and they have their own decorative theme, calling the maritime world to mind. One of them is decorated with vintage surfboards, another with fishing nets, buoys and small, unusual everyday items picked up from the region’s antique dealers, which create an element of surprise and recall local heritage.

One of the restaurants offers the possibility of eating outside and enjoying the view of the river as well as the sunsets. The terraces are built on large wooden decks and overhung with pergolas, hence creating play between shadows and light. The grey-coloured outdoor rattan chairs are upholstered in sand grey cloth and the teak tables and chairs deliberately blend into the tones of the terrace, in order to give priority to the view of the verdant landscape.

In contrast to the grey, brown and natural tonalities of the terraces, the bar is very colourful and induces a party atmosphere. The floors are lacquered with bright, varnished colours, reflecting the white interior roof structure. Large, white, wooden banquettes designed by François Champsaur and decorated with striped cushions, are placed opposite small, red coffee tables and electric blue puffs. The back-lit marble bar represents the place where all of these colours converge.

Bright colours are also to be found in the rooms with their bespoke furniture and patterned fabrics in acid and tonic colours. Here François Champsaur has once again deliberately emphasised the surroundings’ natural environment and everything that it has to offer in terms of light, colours and pleasant living, while widening the openings onto and access to the gardens.