Located in the French town of Gréoux-les-Bains, the Villa Castellane was once the hunting lodge of the nobleman Marquis de Castellane and was originally built in the nineteenth century. Today, it’s a four-star spa resort that leverages its wooded park to offer guests relaxing getaways between the Luberon regional nature park and the Verdon Gorges canyon.
In 2023, the heritage villa was renovated by the project architect Marc Maurel and Atelier XY, a Marseille-based studio led by Audrey Marasse and Didier Le Guen. An acoustic strategy was needed for the restaurant and bar to reduce ambient noise, optimise guest and employee well-being, and minimise the potential risks of the vocal phenomenon known as the ”Lombard Effect”.
A Hotel Design Concept Centred on Elegance
The studio’s approach to the hotel renovation consisted of transforming the existing spaces of the historic hotel to create new ones, providing additional space and increased acoustic comfort. The villa underwent major changes over the span of eighteen months. In the lobby, a double-height space was created to insert a skylight and integrate an imposing chandelier, introducing a dimension of grandeur into the room.
The renovation concept centred on elegance and well-being, and the material palette was led by noble materials such as marble. Brass, a material motif, is employed across several spaces, such as the circulation areas and the walls of the resort’s on-site restaurant and spa.
Optimising Acoustics in the Hotel’s Busy Areas
To reduce ambient noise, the monolithic solution Rockfon Mono Acoustic was installed by D-PRO ISOLATION in the lobby, bar, restaurant, and other high-traffic areas. A colour wayfinding strategy helps guide circulation across the resort: the corridors are painted black and are accented with touches of brass. To achieve this deep black appearance and cosy atmosphere, Rockfon Color-all acoustic ceiling tiles in the colour Charcoal were installed in the corridors, restaurant, and bar.
“Acoustics are a crucial element to take into account in these spaces. Eating in a noisy environment can be extremely unpleasant and can have a negative impact on the customer experience”, explains Audrey Marasse from Atelier XY. “The numerous glass and reverberant surfaces represented a major challenge that Rockfon Color-all allowed us to resolve, both in terms of aesthetic appearance and acoustic efficiency”.
Acoustics at the Resort’s Spa
Rockfon Mono Acoustic also proved to be the perfect solution for the spa – especially for its ability to reflect and diffuse daylight for additional natural light. Its moisture resistance performance complements its ability to control acoustics in swim spas. The choice of the monolithic ceiling solution thus made it possible to reduce noise, provide more natural light, and thus create an atmosphere conducive to the relaxation and well-being of customers.
“The choice of Mono Acoustic in the main room of the spa where the swimming pool is located was conclusive: the space offers beautiful volumes, natural light, and very comfortable acoustics”, said the architects.
By the completion of the renovation, the acoustic experts Acoustique & Conseil carried out tests to measure the performance of the space, which proved to be successful. “The best way to confirm that there aren’t acoustic problems in a space? When we don’t even stop to question if there are any. That’s the case at Villa Castellane”, explain Laura Gohier and Etienne Bodelet of Acoustique & Conseil.
