Travel
Jay (Eire) offers a unique perspective on the Hôtel des Horlogers, an Audemars Piguet-owned establishment in the Vallée de Joux. His post delves into the hotel's modern architecture and distinctive interior design, highlighting how it integrates with the horological landscape of Le Brassus. This article explores Jay's observations and the community's insights into this fascinating destination for watch enthusiasts.
A horological hotel !
In the Vallée de Joux, in Le Brassus specifically, and checked into the Hôtel des Horolgers.
AP have owned the hotel for about 20 years, but what you see in these pictures is a brand new building opened in 2016.
It’s a very modern design, low profile and built into the hillside. What is very cool is that all rooms offer expansive views of the surrounding area. Interiors are also very much modern, lots of straight lines and concrete.
The lobby area has, as you might expect, a little library area with numerous horological books and magazines. There is another library area and gallery like space on a lower floor too.
For this trip I didn’t have much time to explore the surrounding area; before dinner I did walk around the AP buildings next door, including taking a peek in some windows.
You will note the inflatable KAWS Companion on the roof of the historical AP manufacture was unfortunately deflated at night (I should have snapped a picture in the morning). Inside, the KAWS theme however was in full effect. I am very much a KAWS fan, for many many years. And while I’m not sure I understand the recent collaboration with AP, I think this KAWS watch is more aesthetically appealing to me than the Marvel editions.
In my next post I will get to watches. Did I buy an AP? I think most may guess this answer.
To be continued…
This 2.0 looks very bland in comparison
However, it’s a very pleasing design. Despite the abundance of concrete (which I do like) it’s not cold. I think they have chosen the other elements nicely to ensure it doesn’t feel sterile or industrial. The rooms are warmer. And the expanse of windows do bring the outside in. But not to everyone’s taste.
Completed 1973, designed by John Lautner Source: Archeyes
So, love all the travel details! Thanks for making the time to share your experience!!
Been around, active, for a long time. These figures, called Companion, is a signature. They exist at an entry level (a few hundred bucks for editions of hundreds) and at much higher price points (wood carved in Japan, tens of thousands in terms of market price today) and some in much larger sizes (see below, two examples seen in NYC on different buildings / public art displays on Park Ave). Then there are also the inflatable installations like the one on the roof at AP (deflated in my picture) b
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