Want to party with the rich and famous? Take a tour of the notorious haven Marion Cotillard, Rhys Ifans and Pierce Brosnan frequent after runway shows – an extravagant pink bubble palace on the French hills of Cannes. Owned by Italian designer Pierre Cardin, this interesting architectural piece is made up of ten interconnected domes over 1,200 square metres. Designed to recreate a modern version of a pre-historic cave, it’s on the market for a cool £300 million pounds – or £730 pounds, per person, per night. Take a squiz at its ten space-aged rooms, three swimming pools, luxurious gardens, and 500-person amphitheatre, all complete with a spectacular view of the Mediterranean.
Spread across the mountainous Massif de L’Esterel, Pierre Cardin’s unique mansion dots the region with an array of pink-dome-shaped forms. Interspersed by circular pools and palm trees, Hungarian architect Antti Lovag based the sprawling mansion on pre-historic dwellings. Circular in shape with no right-angled forms, each bubble evokes a past era during the day or night.
Viewed from above, the so-called ‘Bubble Palace’ almost evokes the space-age, with each of its ten rooms blowing out in convex windows and skylights. Trees native to the region form a circular boundary, while a 500-seater amphitheatre to the left hosts a fashion runway worthy of the Romans.
Made to the make the most of the Mediterranean, palm trees close in as visitors move closer to the sea. Featuring porthole-shaped skylights, each cavernous dome was thought by Cardin to represent the form of a woman’s figure – round, sleek, and oh-so-earthy.
A treat inside and out, the Palais des Calles’ glossy red, regional rock coats much of the interior in circular seating arrangements. Towards the centre of a living-room, an oval window bubbles out to the sea. Two semicircles of seating define a relaxation area, while single pods and a winding staircase continue the room’s free flow.
A lower-height room combines an unusual ceiling with bursts of lighting. A row of red leather chairs form a pavilion, while more contemporary shapes add diversity in grey acrylic. An adjacent room boasts a red stone platform feasting off red and green decorations, a kooky display afront the red stone room.
Transitions between domes show off the curves the palace is famous for. Set on a red rock floor, pink plaster makes ovals, circles and arches across each interior, making each room different to the one before. Glass and steel doors flip open vertically, creating a flat window barrier at night. Rounded corridors turn into tunnels throughout the space, proffering glimpses of forestry and sea. The flow of the interior creates continuously-different angles, each catching the sun to assemble their own shapes.
Each armed with an ensuite bathroom, the bedrooms evoke a sense of calm. Bathed in blue and white, the first bedroom reminds of the solar system, with metallic decals in circular shapes. A matching turquoise bed acts as a lounge or sleeping space, while relaxed beanbag-style seats offer conversation. Warmer in hue and showcasing red rock, the second bedroom curves round to the ensuite with an elevated steppe. A wooden basin greets it at its end, while lighter pink ceilings span over to another circular bed and wooden cavity for bedtime necessities.
Designed to look pre-historic, the Palais des Calles’s design is based on the circular forms of the cave. Shown in pools and water features, it creates a spa vibe surrounded by futuristic domes and stunning scenery. A black and white view shows its unique refraction of light throughout the mansion, as it follows and mimics the natural beauty of the sun.
Of course, any home on Cannes’ cliffs can’t forget the view. Guests at runway or fashion shows are treated to a 500-seater amphitheatre, with designs by Dior backgrounded by the wide sea. Cavernous arches frame palm trees, sand pools and man-made oceans. Rounded pools edge out to the Mediterranean’s vast, coast-lined blue.
On the market for a cool £300 million pounds, what’s not to love about Pierre Cardin’s for-sale resort? Crescent-shaped pools meet juggernaut-style windows for views that make the most of the sky and sea. A location allowing Cannes’ coastline to play with both exterior and interior, each bubble dome reflects, refracts and offers a glimpse inside one of Europe’s most notorious mansions.
