Among the countless luxury hotels dotting France’s Loire Valley, Hotel Fontevraud, once a great monastic abbey with strong ties to the French royal family, stands apart from the rest. Recently revived and free from over-the-top tourist trappings, it has more regal prestige than most of the other Disneyland-esque châteaus in the countryside put together. From environmental considerations to soundproofing the great, cavernous communal areas, every aspect of the spacious and modern contemporary redesign has been treated with thoughtful consideration. While This story is from Kinfolk Issue Twenty Buy Now Related Stories Design Issue 51 John Pawson From the king of minimalism: “I find the essential and get the design down to a point where you can’t add or subtract from it.” Design Interiors Issue 51 Axel Vervoordt Inside the world of Axel Vervoordt. Design Issue 51 Kim Lenschow The architect who wants to show you how your house works. Design Issue 51 Sean Canty The Harvard professor on architecture as a driver for social change. Design Issue 51 Cult Rooms The Pavilhão de Portugal. Design Issue 49 Marcio Kogan On the pursuit of perfection.
Design Issue 51 John Pawson From the king of minimalism: “I find the essential and get the design down to a point where you can’t add or subtract from it.”
