© Cyrille Weiner

ROYAUMONT ABBEY

RESTORATION OF THE ABBEY AND DEVELOPMENT OF A CULTURAL MEETING CENTRE

Royaumont Abbey is an ancient Cistercian monastery built 800 years ago at the instigation of Louis IX. It was bought by Jules Gouin at the end of the 19th century, then relinquished by his businessman and music-loving grandson Henry to the Royaumont Foundation that he created in 1964, and which still manages the property today. The Royaumont was the first private cultural foundation to be created.

In keeping with the remarkable restoration work carried out by Pierre-André Lablaude, one of the chief architects of France’s historic monuments, we were asked to draw up a project for the restoration of the facades, buttresses, roof structure, and roofing of the “Monks’ Wing”. The programme was completed in 2017.

© Cyrille Weiner
© Cyrille Weiner

Once devoted to prayer, now to study and music, Royaumont Abbey is a place where spirituality is timeless.

We also carried out interior refurbishment with the creation of a large, professional kitchen visible to the residents and guests, a lift designed as a sculpture in the newel of a wooden Neo-Gothic staircase, guest rooms, and contemporary furniture.

The use of burnished brass as a reference material is an indicator of contemporary operations that nonetheless appear to have always been there.

© Antoine Mercusot
© Cyrille Weiner
© Antoine Mercusot
Location
Asnières-sur-Oise
Project type
Restoration and
contemporary refurbishment
Program
Culture / Hospitality
Project owner
Royaumont Foundation
Team
Chatillon Architectes
Budget
€ 6m excl. VAT
Timeline
2014 – 2020
Awards
Trophées de l’ascenseur
2016, Jury Prize