Luxury Indian Ocean LUXURY INDIAN OCEAN #8 EDITION 2019 | Page 103
Eureka la Maison Créole (Moka, Mauritius)
même bleu pare les maisons coloniales en Caroline du Sud, les
protégeant ainsi des insectes… « et des esprits » !
L’architecture créole des îles de l’océan Indien est un héritage commun
qui mérite d’être protégé et valorisé. Il contribue non seulement à la
construction d’une identité propre à la région, mais aussi à la promotion
de ces pays à travers une off re culturelle unique au monde.
A palette of dwellings
As you roam across the islands, diff erent types of traditional buildings
come to sight, from administrative buildings to Creole cottages and
elegant plantation homes.
Remarkable by their impressive sizes, the colonial administrative
buildings combine comfort, elegance and functionality. Often located
in town centres, they boast a rather understated and impersonal
neoclassic façade with high colonnades. “Such buildings are meant
to last and impress”, writes Jean-Michel Jauze in reference to the
Government House of Port-Louis (Mauritius), which was erected
in 1730, and Saint-Denis' Town Hall in Reunion, the plans of which
were approved in 1846 by King Louis-Philippe himself.
Some of these buildings' hallmarks - such as the absence of
ornaments, high ceilings, the symmetry of openings that favours
natural ventilation - are also typical features of plantation homes.
EDITION #8
La varangue
La varangue s’inspire des jardins d’hiver, des
porches et des conservatories européens.
Cette pièce fraîche et lumineuse, abritée
par des baies vitrées, des persiennes ou
des voiles en raphia, agrémente la façade
ou ceinture entièrement la maison – comme
c’est le cas à Eureka (Maurice). Lieu de
lecture, de réception et de détente, elle est
synonyme de convivialité créole !
The verandah
The verandah is modelled on Western
glass houses, conservatories and porches.
Tucked behind glass panels, louvres or raffi a
blinds, this fresh and luminous living space
graces the housefront or wraps around the
entire building, as it can be seen in Eureka
(Mauritius). A convenient spot for reading,
chilling and receiving guests, it is the
expression of Creole-style hospitality.
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