Jo & Joe

In the town of Gentilly, Jean-Paul Viguier et Associés presents the first hotel of the Accor brand to be built with a wooden structure.

As a flagship to their new line dedicated to millennials, Accor has appointed Jean-Paul Viguier et Associés to the conception of Jo&Joe Gentilly, their first «open house» opening in April 2019.

CLT (Cross Laminated Timber) is becoming more and more popular in the construction industry for its many environmental benefits, as well as the reduction of noise pollution it makes possible. This bio-based and recyclable material takes part in the reduction of emissions by storing carbon instead of producing it. It is also 15 times more efficient than concrete in terms of thermal insulation.

Bording the “boulevard périphérique”, the Paris ring road, Jo&Joe is a total of 6.000 m² distributed over 9 floors, including an underground level partially dedicated to parking. The hotel is composed of 85 rooms, private or shared, with a total of 612 beds. A restaurant, a bar and an indoor garden will be accessible to guests and visitors. Many planted terraces will also contribute to bringing a natural and peaceful atmosphere to the complex.

On the oustide, a tole of iridescent aluminum covers the facades and absorbs light to turn it into a veil of colors that change based on luminosity. Shining in shades of gold during the day, the building turns into a blueish volume at nightfall, illuminated on the ground and top floor by a series of back-lit toles. The other levels are decorated with a series of vertical planks, dark aluminum window frames and French-style chassis.

The U-shaped building circles the garden at ground-floor level. This free space was designed as an extension to the indoor spaces and as it is composed of the same materials: wood, steel, concrete, soft and flowing shapes. A dozen of fruit trees (apple trees, cherry trees, pear trees, medlar trees…) act as season indicators and reinforce the indoor-outdoor dialogue. With its rooftop doubling as a vegetable garden, Jo&Joe intends on reinforcing biodiversity thanks to a food micro-production.
The playful and chromatically saturated inside layout designed by Penson uses the same visual codes as the first Jo&Joe open house in Hossegor. Penson has worked in the past on the headquarters of international companies such as Google or Youtube.

Willing to attract a clientele that’s always on the move and seeking an experience of community, Jo&Joe will be developped in France (Bordeaux and Lille) as well as Budapest, Edinburgh, Berlin and Rio.