28th November 2018

Camille Walala x SALT of Palmar

- Written by Anthony.

Earlier this month, a unique hotel opened on the eastern shores of Mauritius. We say ‘unique' for two reasons. First, it’s founded on the principles of community, sustainability and cultural connection – which makes it a rarity as far as idyllic tropical beach resorts go. Second, it's the only hotel in the world to be designed by Camille Walala. So far, at least.

The 59-room SALT of Palmar is the first in what seems set to be a new line of hotels from the LUX* group – one designed for a new generation of conscientious travellers who prize authentic, locally rooted experiences over homogenised luxury. Camille was charged with creating interiors that channeled the unique atmosphere of Mauritius – to create a look that captured the playfulness and vibrance of the Mauritian character.

Working alongside local architect Jean François Adam, Camille and her collaborator Julia Jomaa embarked on their biggest project to date (and when we say 'biggest', let's remember this is a pair who have facelifted a 20-storey Brooklyn building, built a giant inflatable castle, and renovated a pair of massive water tanks in a remote Tanzanian village). Drawing inspiration from the natural and human landscape of the island, the Walala crew set about creating their own vision of paradise on the Indian Ocean shores.

Camille told us how it went…

Riad, Sea View, View from Room 301, SALT of Palmar, photography by Tekla Evelina Severin.

This your first hotel interior-design project – what was it that appealed to you?

I felt that I could connect with its message as a brand. I travel a lot with my job and one of the most beautiful things about that is that I get to experience different cultures and visit incredibly varied places. I love the fact that SALT wants to encourage the traveller to explore these things and respect what the country is all about.

When did the project begin and what did the first stages involve?

The project began in January 2018. The initial brief was to draw inspiration from the country itself, to try in my own way to bring elements of Mauritius into the hotel itself, whether they were natural or manmade. The first stage was about getting to know the brand – to understand what SALT was trying to achieve and whom it was trying to attract. From there, I started to look at my inspiration images of Mauritius and to make initial mood boards that would connect to my own work and taste.

Pool View, SALT of Palmar, photography by Tekla Evelina Severin.

You are renowned for your playful and vibrant design concepts – how did you mix your design aesthetic with the SALT ethos and location?

What was really great for me is that while exploring Mauritius I was blown away by how many vibrant and bold colours you find around the island. People paint their houses in the most amazing tones that really stand out against the lush tropical setting. That was a really good place for me to start connecting my style with the requirements of the brief.

How did you select the colour palette?

I wanted to try and get a balance between complementary natural tones and bold colours. The island itself is naturally a beautifully coloured place, from the emerald green of the plant life to the ever-changing colours in the sky. I wanted to marry these warm natural tones to my signature pop colours.

Is there a dominant pattern running through the hotel?

I’ve tried to keep pattern work quite minimal in the hotel as a whole, but there is a strong use of black and white stripes.

The Bar, SALT of Palmar, photography by Tekla Evelina Severin.

This is your second project in Mauritius – what do you like about the island?

It’s paradise; a very relaxing and incredibly beautiful place. The people are so incredibly kind and friendly.

You worked in collaboration with the Mauritian architect Jean François Adam – was this your first collaboration with an architect?

Yes, working with Jean Francois Adam’s team couldn’t have been a better experience for a first-time interiors project. My studio created extensive mood boards for every area of the hotel; JFA’s studio talked us through every possible outcome of what we wanted to do, and made everything happen.

How did you select the local partners to work with?

As JFA’s practice is based in Mauritius, they put forward many local partners that they have had experience working with, and they knew who to contact if we presented something that was a little out of the ordinary.

Room 314, SALT of Palmar, photography by Tekla Evelina Severin.

How did your approach to designing a hotel differ from your previous large-scale building projects?

What was different for me this time was the sheer quantity of things to take into consideration while designing. Not only do the colours and pattern have to complement each other, but fabrics, textures, surfaces, light, functionality and moods are also critically important to the success of the space. It was a huge challenge.

What other challenges did you face with such a complex international project?

Mauritius is a very remote country, and although the selection of products and materials is big, I had to think of many alternatives to things that I would have loved to use in the styling and build which simply weren’t available on the island. And, as SALT is by the sea and under a strong sun we had to work with materials which couldn’t be damaged by the water, wind and heat. However, I grew to enjoy the challenge of exploring locally to find alternatives.

What reaction do you want to create in SALT guests?

I want the SALT guest to smile. I want SALT to be used relaxing as well as having fun and socialising with others. The space is supposed to be fun and to make a hero of the island's incredible beauty.

Welcome Room, SALT of Palmar, photography by Tekla Evelina Severin.

If you want to see more of Camille's projects, check out her tallest mural to date here.