Jard in

Majo relle

Garden & Studio

MEHAK SHARMA Interior design Sophomore Year (COPYRIGHT - Fondation Jardin Majorelle)

The Jardin Majorelle, located in the southern Moroccan desert oasis of Marrakech, is one of the 20th century’s most enchanting, even mystical, garden experiences. Created over the course of nearly forty years, the garden complex is a labyrinth composed of bisecting pathways and interconnected levels, Moorish and Art Deco-inspired structures, and bold palettes, all assembled among a vast, opulent array of exotic plants and trees collected from the far reaches of the world.

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2018. Archnet.Org. https://archnet.org/system/publications/contents/10398/original/DTP102783.pdf?1443041163. Page no. 23/31 WHAT IS ? One of the most famous sites to visit in Marrakech, .

Collections of cacti, exotic plants and trees are landscaped to emphasize each one’s unique beauty. The paths allow us to see how the architectural style of the villa-studio, now transformed into a museum, is set off by vibrant colours dominated by its “Majorelle ”. The fame of ’s garden grew, and even surpassed that of his paintings. The more the artist travelled, the more he enjoyed gardening; he began to bring plants from around the world and to communicate internationally with people who shared his passion for botany. He acquired hundreds of rare varieties of trees and plants: cacti, palm trees, bamboo, coconut palms, ferns etc. The colours that Jacques Majorelle began to use in 1937 transformed his garden into an even more fascinating masterpiece. He first painted the facade of his studio, then all of his property including gates, pergolas, pots and the various buildings in a scheme of bold and brilliant primary colors, one of which would later be known as “Majorelle blue”, an , , “evoking Africa”. Strong, deep, intense, it accentuates the green of the leaves and makes them sing.

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"Visiting The Garden Majorelle Garden". 2018. Jardinmajorelle.Com. http://jardinmajorelle.com/ang/visiting-the-garden/. "History Of Jardin Majorelle Majorelle Garden". 2018. Jardinmajorelle.Com. http://jardinmajorelle.com/ang/history-of-jardin-majorelle/. WHO WAS JAQUES MAJORELLE?

He was a French painter best known for his realist depictions of Northern Africa. The artist travelled, notably throughout Morocco, where he created his most famous paintings. Mostly consisting of the sights of Marrakech, these works often featured eroticized nudes of local women, landscape scenes, or traditional . During his tenure living in Marrakech, Majorelle built a house and series of botanical gardens which today is referred to as the Majorelle Garden and is considered a major tourist destination. His extensive use of a specific blue—which he encountered in the ceramic pottery and tile of the Islamic culture surrounding him—earned the hue the title “Majorelle Blue.”

Alksar.Com, 2018. https://www.alksar.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Jacques-Majorelle.jpg.

"Jacques Majorelle | Artnet | Page 9". Artnet.Com, 2018. http://www.artnet.com/artists/jacques-majorelle/9. HISTORY

1919, during the French Protectorate, the French painter Jacques Majorelle (1886 – 1962) arrived in the medina of Marrakech. 1922, he purchased a palm grove on the outskirts of the city, and seven years later built the Villa Bousafsaf, inspired by classical Moroccan architecture. 1931, Majorelle commissioned the architect Paul Sinoir to build an artist’s studio in an astonishingly modern Art Deco style. The building included an apartment upstairs, and a ground floor studio where he could paint large canvases. The garden he planted around the studio reflected his passion for botany. Designed around a long, central basin, he composed several different ambiances with a luxurious vegetation that became a refuge for hundreds of birds. The garden developed into a living work of art, embellished by exotic and rare plant species that Majorelle would bring back from his worldwide travels 1937, the artist created an ultramarine blue colour that was intense and luminous at the same time – referred to today as Majorelle Blue – with which he painted the walls of his studio and later the entire garden, which he opened to the public in 1947.

The garden fell into a state of neglect when Majorelle died. It was saved from becoming a real estate project in 1980, when the garden was acquired by Pierre Bergé and Yves Saint Laurent, who brought it back to life and renamed it the Villa Oasis.

WHAT WAS YVES SAINT LAURENT’S ROLE?

Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé discovered the Jardin Majorelle in 1966, during their first stay in Marrakech. Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé bought the Jardin Majorelle in 1980 and saved it from falling victim to a real estate project and becoming a hotel complex. The new owners decided to live in the Villa Bou Saf Saf, which they renamed Villa Oasis, and undertook the restoration of the garden.

2018. Archnet.Org. https://archnet.org/system/publications/contents/10398/original/DTP102783.pdf?1443041163. Page no. 22/31 "Yves Saint Laurent And Pierre Bergé Bought The Garden Out In 1980 Majorelle Garden". Jardinmajorelle.Com, 2018. http://jardinmajorelle.com/ang/yves-saint-laurent-and-pierre-berge-bought-the-garden-out-in-1980/. He passed away on June 1, 2008, in . His ashes were scattered in the rose garden of the Villa Oasis; a memorial was built in the garden, designed around a Roman pillar which was brought from Tangier and set on a pedestal with a plate bearing his name, so that visitors can remember him and his unique contribution to fashion.

The painter’s studio has been transformed into a museum open to the public, dedicated to Berber culture, named as berber museum - Housing the personal Berber collection of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé.

John O'Ceallaigh. "A Private Tour Of Villa Oasis, Yves Saint Laurent's Magical Marrakech Home". The Telegraph, 2018. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/travel/villa-oasis-yves-saint- laurent-marrakech-home-visit-review/.

WHAT IS MAJORELLE BLUE?

Majorelle Blue is an intense blue. The French artist Jacques Majorelle constructed his largest artwork in 1914, the Majorelle garden and villa which he painted in this known as Majorelle Blue. He then later trademarked this blue.

"Yves Saint Laurent And Pierre Bergé Bought The Garden Out In 1980 Majorelle Garden". Jardinmajorelle.Com, 2018. http://jardinmajorelle.com/ang/yves-saint-laurent-and-pierre-berge-bought-the-garden-out-in-1980/.

MOROCCAN ARCHITECTURE & BERBER INFLUENCE: Morocco’s architecture has been influenced by many cultures as the country was formed by the mixture of African tribes from the other side of the Sahara Desert, Islamic traditions from Arab neighbors, and European colonizers. It can feel exotic, yet familiar, no matter where you're from, and the reason for that is the unique architecture that characterizes the nation. It's an architecture that reflects the long and complex history of Morocco, a country that's been a crossroads of culture for centuries.

Rocks, Exclusive, “It Harith, and 5 Guide]. "Moroccan Architecture Is So Famous, But Why?". Tripfez, Muslim Travel Blog, 2018. https://blog.tripfez.com/moroccan-architecture.

Berber Influence: The are an ethnic group, native to Morocco, who developed the first major architectural traditions of the region. Of these traditions, few have survived as well as the aesthetic created through the Berber use of mud brick as the dominant architectural material. Known as pisé in French, the solid, imposing look created from this material can be found across Morocco, even if the actual use of mud brick is not as common anymore.

("Ksar Ait Ben Haddou - One Day Tour In Desert Of South Morocco". Marrakech Travel Agency, 2018. http://www.moroccotailormade.com/package/ait-ben-haddou/.)

"Moroccan Architecture: In-Depth Review Of Styles In Morocco". Journey Beyond Travel, 2018. https://www.journeybeyondtravel.com/morocco/architecture. "Moroccan Architecture: Style & Elements | Study.Com". Study.Com, 2018. https://study.com/academy/lesson/moroccan-architecture-style-elements.html.

PRESENT DAY GARDEN AND VILLA:

Foundation jardin majorelle: The association, created in 2001 to safeguard the ecological, historical and cultural heritage represented by the Jardin Majorelle, was recognized as a non- profit organization Dahir no. 2.11.647 dated November 4, 2011. It has become the Fondation Jardin Majorelle. Since 2010, the Jardin Majorelle has been the property of the Fondation Pierre Bergé – Yves Saint Laurent, a not-for-profit foundation officially recognized by French law.

On December 3, 2011, the Berber Museum was officially inaugurated in the presence of Mr. Frédéric Mitterrand, Minister of Culture and Communications of the French Republic, Mr. Bensalem Himmich, Minister of Culture in the Kingdom of Morocco and His Excellency the Ambassador of in Morocco, Mr. Bruno Joubert.

TRANSFORMING THE SPACE

The idea is to transform the place into a luxurious rehab centre to cure your vices. The place will be suitable for people who want a rejuvenating experience as well as for the people who are suffering from mental illness. The target is such because Majorelle himself was suffering from illness and found this town to be very calming and rejuvenating for his health due to the colours and its vibe. So in order to stay in close with the memory of Jaques Majorelle and to have his essence in the place, not just being related to art but also other conditions I want to create a luxurious detox and rehab centre. The interiors of the place will be completely transformed as in the berber museum will not be a part of it, it will be modern but will keep the essence of the morocco and its culture. In here all Patients will have personal access to their personal care team, Holistic modalities will be a part of the package . It will be a great escape from the main city side where you have close connection to the nature rather than the buildings. Great attention will be paid to the details of the place and needs of the customer.

"Fondation Jardin Majorelle Majorelle Garden". Jardinmajorelle.Com, 2018. http://jardinmajorelle.com/ang/fondation-jardin-majorelle/.

Representation through sketches:

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BEFORE

Mehak Sharma

AFTER

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