THE DESIGNER ’ S LIFE
Salon des Batailles at the Hôtel de Crillon
Through projects such as the renovated Hôtel de Crillon , the reimagination of the Eiffel Tower ’ s Jules Verne restaurant , and work with designer Karl Lagerfeld on a functional sculpture collection , Beirut-born architect Aline Asmar d ’ Amman infuses luxury design with deeper context shaped by childhood experiences of war .
What is your definition of luxury ?
Luxury is the thrill of strong emotions born from discovery , an experience of a space that makes its narrative relevant and meaningful . Luxury is also using our precious time to learn , touch and feel something exceptional and , in hospitality design , leading guests to intuitively uncover this experience .
Any new projects ?
I feel very privileged to continue the conversation with Karl Lagerfeld … Nothing compares to the excitement of working with the great master and his immense ability to share his knowledge and passion for excellence . His design aesthetics and multi-faceted talents are life lessons in themselves !
We were recently awarded the interior renovation of the legendary Jules Verne restaurant on the Eiffel Tower ’ s second floor ... The décor will honor Parisian decorative arts and echo the cuisine by encapsulating the delicate balance of the raw and the precious .
What ’ s your favorite rule to break ?
People say I have a punk spirit deeply rooted in a severe education . The creative force is driven by the unexpected . It forms the poetic soul of the world . Imagination has hardly any rules , and I treasure the childlike feeling of constant enchantment . In the quest for beauty , I challenge the status quo on many levels while staying true to my beliefs . For example , my projects embrace patrimonial legacy yet integrate operators ’ requests for modern lifestyles . The hospitality landscape is a fabulous playground where design redefines boundaries by adding edgy touches of irreverence , as we did at the Hôtel de Crillon with Rosewood . It ’ s stimulating to work with a group that sets new standards by celebrating the artful and the unexpected – while definitely breaking some rules .
ALINE ASMAR D ’ AMMAN
ARCHITECT AND FOUNDER , CULTURE IN ARCHITECTURE PARIS AND BEIRUT , LEBANON
Contributed by ALICIA SHEBER
What ’ s the best advice you ’ ve received ?
Karl Lagerfeld once taught me American decorator Elsie de Wolfe ’ s motto : “ When I draw a set of plans , there is no second option .” … It ’ s all about staying true to that first impulse and creative spark .
What do you wish people knew about you ?
I wear lots of artisan accessories and jewelry , both for aesthetics and to help me think and define materials and colors – I ’ m a moving concept board . Those who know me are aware of this , as well as my book obsession . I read at every opportunity , and in the most difficult situations , they become my all-in-one yoga-meditation-relaxation therapy . Books recharge me . The ultimate luxury is having multiple copies to avoid carrying them around , plus the ability to immediately offer one to someone with the same addiction .
64 hotelsmag . com December 2018