The Making of… Yacht Club de Monaco

At the start of the design process, Norman produced a powerful concept sketch that showed the yacht club as a city in miniature, with schools, parks, restaurants, a network of interior circulation ‘streets,’ and a hierarchy of public and private areas. He saw the project as a continuation of Monaco’s dense urban fabric and an important part of civic life.

Bringing together the various functional spaces under one roof required a creative and coordinated approach from our team. We began by understanding the needs of the different users, from the children attending the sailing school (that is part of Monaco’s teaching curriculum), to the members and corporate partners using the event spaces and social areas. The building had to be extremely flexible to allow these different spaces to function in unison. Terraces and external staircases were designed to accommodate different flows through the building, without disturbing the club’s private areas.

To realise the project, we worked closely with the Palace, the government, and a specially appointed Yacht Club de Monaco Commission, as well as a local architect and specialist contractors. Collaborating with these different stakeholders was an exercise in organisation and communication. We held fortnightly meetings with representatives from all parties, to ensure everyone could contribute to – and feedback on – the developing scheme.

It was crucial that the Yacht Club de Monaco Commission could recognise themselves in the new building, which marked a new chapter in their 60-year history. Additionally, the principality and the Commission both shared the practice’s commitment to sustainability, which was reflected in the finalised design. Photovoltaic cells, solar thermal panels and sea-water cooling systems are integrated within the building to meet the highest sustainability standards. Furthermore, the glazed harbour elevations are shaded by intricate louvres for protection from the sun and can be opened to naturally ventilate the building.

The site for the yacht club had to be created by reclaiming land from the Mediterranean Sea and extending the city’s existing marina eastwards. We began by removing rock from under the water and then created a new sea wall to drain the water away and start excavating. Although this was quite a challenging process, there is a long history of land reclamation projects in Monaco, and we worked with brilliant contactors who were experts in their field. Another challenge was making sure the bordering Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit could be used in July during the renowned event. This required us to pause construction, once a year for seven years, and restore the track before the race began.  

During the construction phase, we created mock ups on site to review different options with the client. This allowed us to engage with the design in a more tangible way and make informed decisions about materials, finishes, and lighting. We mocked up sections of the north and south façades, the external balustrades and louvres, as well as the external decking to make our final selections.

With the city and mountains on one side – and water on the other – it was essential that the yacht club made the most of its spectacular surroundings. Cascading terraces along the harbour offer unrivalled views of sailing races and inland over the Grand Prix circuit. The building also speaks to the principality’s nautical heritage, with strong horizontal lines, wide deck-like terraces, and masts that are visible out at sea during the regattas.

Our bespoke interiors capture the spirit of sailing and communicate the yacht club’s incredible history. The refined colour palette and custom furniture is inspired by Tuiga, the club’s much-loved flagship vintage yacht. Every detail was considered, from the caulking between the floorboards that creates continuity between inside and outside, to the display system that is integrated into the walls of the main spaces. Channels are recessed into the panelling to allow the objects and artworks to be presented in different ways and tell the evolving story of the club.

During our final days on site, we worked together to carefully unpackage and curate the yacht club’s extensive collection.

Today, ten years since completion, the building still feels absolutely right for its context and has stood the test of time. Last month, over 150 people attended the 10-year anniversary celebrations, including the club’s president Prince Albert II.

It was a great privilege work on such an important project for Monaco, which has become the social heart of the principality.