Rolex begins support for the restoration of Villa Cavrois, a masterpiece of modernist architecture. Learn about the relationship between Rolex and architecture

In 2024, Rolex participated in the preservation of the Villa Cavrois, a masterpiece of modernist architecture in France. The company has long had ties to the architectural industry and has appointed many renowned architects to its buildings. The company also supports international architecture exhibitions and hosts programs to train architects. Let's take a look at the Villa Cavrois, which Rolex is supporting.

Rolex participates in the restoration of Villa Cavrois, a masterpiece of modernist architecture

　As a patron of the Hôtel de la Marine, Rolex France is engaged in patronage activities such as restoring the Panthéon's historic clock in order to contribute to the dissemination and preservation of this unique cultural heritage that has been engraved in history.

　In 2024, we continued our relationship with the French Cultural Heritage Center and began the renovation of the Cavrois House, one of France's most representative modernist buildings.

A huge mansion designed by Robert Mallet-Stevens

　Architecture, like watchmaking, is based on a passion for precision and a focus on excellence in the fields of functionality, aesthetics and ergonomics. Robert Mallet-Stevens, the architect who designed the Villa Cavrois, shared this philosophy.

　In 1929, Paul Cavrois, the owner of a textile manufacturing company, decided to build a home for his family in the town of Croix in northern France. Between 1929 and 1932, he gave free rein to Robert Mallet-Stevens to design his own mansion. The result was the Villa Cavrois, with its modern silhouette that contrasts with the surrounding bourgeois mansions.

　Robert Mallet-Stevens' previous job was as a film art director, responsible for creating the overall visuals of a film. Driven by the concept of "total art," he designed everything himself, from the buildings to the interiors and furniture.

　He envisioned a truly modern mansion, with architectural elements such as symmetrical wings, strong proportions, a minimalist décor, and a flat roof, as well as state-of-the-art amenities of the time, including an elevator, central heating, and a telephone.

After extensive restoration, it was reopened to the public in 2015

　The Villa Cavrois was declared a historical monument in 1990, but by then it had fallen into disrepair and ruin. In 2001, the French government purchased the house. A 13-year restoration project brought together the skills of exceptional craftsmen to restore the building and grounds to their 1932 appearance.

　This ambitious project combined industrial building materials like glass, concrete, and metal with luxurious materials like Swedish and Siena marble, walnut, pear, and exotic woods. The house was restored to its original appearance, restoring it to its original beauty. The restoration of the Cabrois Villa's mechanical components also revealed Robert Mallet-Stevens's engineering genius.

　In 2024, Rolex France decided to support the construction and restoration of the Villa Cavrois in order to preserve Robert Mallet-Stevens' design.

The relationship between Rolex and architecture: Buildings designed by famous architects

　For over 60 years, Rolex has commissioned some of the most renowned architects in history to design buildings associated with the brand.

　For example, the Lititz Watch Technicum, a watchmaking school in Pennsylvania, USA, was designed by Michael Graves, a leading postmodern architect, the Rolex Toyocho Building in Tokyo was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Japanese architect Fumihiko Maki, and the Rolex Learning Center in Lausanne, Switzerland, was designed by SANAA, an architectural unit consisting of Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa.

　When Rolex builds or expands new buildings for its headquarters or production facilities, it pays the same meticulous attention to aesthetics and detail as it does when assembling its chronometers.

　In Dallas, Texas, the Japanese architect Kengo Kuma designed the Rolex building. In New York, Sir David Chipperfield, an architect with the title "Sir," was in charge of the renovation of Rolex's US headquarters, creating a building that "symbolizes Rolex's history and corporate culture."

Supporting international architecture exhibitions and architect training projects

　Since 2014, Rolex has supported the Venice Biennale, the world's largest architecture exhibition, which has also become a source of inspiration for young architects.

　In 2002, the company also launched the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative, which pairs mentors and protégés (mentees) in multiple arts fields, including architecture.

　Mentors include renowned architects such as David Chipperfield, Kazuyo Sejima, Alvaro Siza and Peter Zumthor, who are instrumental in inspiring the younger generation to create a more sustainable world.

　From 2023 to 2024, a collaboration between French architect Anne Lacaton and Lebanese-Armenian architect Aline Aprahamian has been confirmed.