“I’m always focusing on the present and future,” mentions Christian Schallert (Bregenz, Austria, 1978) while he sips his coffee in a poised manner. Yet, I wonder about the story behind building a house right next to Yves Saint Laurent’s gardens, in Marrakesh. “More than a house, it is a boutique home,” he explains: “designed from scratch by architect Bergendy Cooke and created to welcome friends and travelers.
“Before landing in Marrakech, the Brummell brand had to be created… ”, I also wonder. Christian laughs as he replies: “That was my next big adventure! A friend told me about an old building for sale, near the Montjuïc area. I am such a curious person… I went to visit it straight away! It was completely trashed, but had lots of character, an amazing location, so close to nature.” Christian narrates the process that resulted in Barcelona’s hotel Brummell: “I named it after Lord Brummell, a historical character who was considered the first dandy.
“I had visited Morocco on numerous occasions, mostly while doing photography jobs. Opening something there was a dream I had cherished for a long time. I started looking for a special place, something that wasn’t already available. When I found that plot next to the Majorelle gardens, I had a clear vision of what it could become.” It took a few years and many collaborators to unfold this project. As architect Bergendy Cooke points out: “We had a great local team on the ground who worked tirelessly in order to get the project completed.” Indeed, the construction was also supervised by local architect Amine Abouraoui.
Before ending our conversation, Christian declares Maison Brummell Majorelle has been his first project in Morocco, but might not be the last… This journey goes on.
