Rita Chraibi On Her Couture-Inspired Designs At Monad Terrace
Reintroducing French couturier Jean Paul Gaultier’s collection for Roche Bobois, designer Rita Chraibi shares the first completed residence at Monad Terrace by Ateliers Jean Nouvel
Surrounded by a picturesque lagoon, with a reflective sawtooth honeycomb exterior façade, Monad Terrace by leading French architect Jean Nouvel, in partnership with JDS Development Group, is set to be another star-studded addition to Miami Beach.
For Rita Chraibi, the French-Moroccan designer behind the eponymous International Designers by Rita Chraibi and ambassador for Roche Bobois, it was an honour to work alongside pivotal figures in the industry and an opportunity to bring an avant-garde and multidisciplinary understanding of design into a residential space.
Bringing her international experience across the Middle East and Europe to an American audience, the designer intersected elements of art, fashion and architecture, in the spirit of haute couture.
Interior views of the living room at Monad Terrace
“I wanted my design vision to align with the genius architectural design by highlighting the craftsmanship involved in constructing something this unique,” begins Rita, when discussing her initial approach to the space.
In the 5,193 square-foot four-bedroom residence, featuring four-and-a-half baths and a 42-footdeep terrace with a bayfront-reflecting pool, Rita looked to the furniture designs of fashion icon Jean Paul Gaultier’s collection for Roche Bobois as an example of mastering multidisciplinary thinking.
Interior view of the powder room
Gaultier’s original collection for Bobois featured a toned-down colour palette of whites and neutrals with clean lines and lush textures, revealing a more gentler side to his imagination.
Rita sourced furniture and also brought in a custom teak canopy, a sculptural cantilevered marble island in Calacatta Gold and reflective Poliform cabinetry to the kitchen. The designer sought to emulate Gaultier’s signature playful yet intricate handling of form.
Interior views of Monad Terrace by Atelier Jean Nouvel, JDS Development Group and interior designer Rita Chraibi
Making sure to avoid excess and overwhelming of the senses, the open view onto Miami’s waters was a predominant and neutralising guiding line for Rita, acting as an endpoint of perspective in the living areas. “Every decision made was to highlight the stunning view of the water and surrounding life,” she says.
Interior views of the living room at Monad Terrace
With sculptures and paintings by Italian painter Marco Grassi, all sourced from Galleria Ca’ d’Oro, Rita also introduced the body throughout the property as a central binding site to rejoin the multiple forms of art present.
“Fashion, art and design enrich our lives by offering us the opportunity for expression,” she says. “I’m so passionate about these fields and blending them to achieve the extraordinary. The point of divergence is simply how creation emerges.” intdesigners.com
The entryway at Monad Terrace
Image Courtesy of Kris Tamburello and JDS Development. Exterior views of Monad Terrace by Atelier Jean Nouvel, JDS Development Group and interior designer Rita Chraibi
From the Autumn 2020 Issue of Harper’s Bazaar Interiors