Tour Pierre Cardin’s £300 Million-Pound Bubble Mansion

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Spread across the mountainous Massif de L’Esterel, Pierre Cardin’s unique mansion dots the region with an array of pink-dome-shaped forms. Interspersed by circular pools and palm trees, Hungarian architect Antti Lovag based the sprawling mansion on pre-historic dwellings. Circular in shape with no right-angled forms, each bubble evokes a past era during the day or night.

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Viewed from above, the so-called ‘Bubble Palace’ almost evokes the space-age, with each of its ten rooms blowing out in convex windows and skylights. Trees native to the region form a circular boundary, while a 500-seater amphitheatre to the left hosts a fashion runway worthy of the Romans.

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Made to the make the most of the Mediterranean, palm trees close in as visitors move closer to the sea. Featuring porthole-shaped skylights, each cavernous dome was thought by Cardin to represent the form of a woman’s figure – round, sleek, and oh-so-earthy.

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A treat inside and out, the Palais des Calles’ glossy red, regional rock coats much of the interior in circular seating arrangements. Towards the centre of a living-room, an oval window bubbles out to the sea. Two semicircles of seating define a relaxation area, while single pods and a winding staircase continue the room’s free flow.

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A lower-height room combines an unusual ceiling with bursts of lighting. A row of red leather chairs form a pavilion, while more contemporary shapes add diversity in grey acrylic. An adjacent room boasts a red stone platform feasting off red and green decorations, a kooky display afront the red stone room.

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Transitions between domes show off the curves the palace is famous for. Set on a red rock floor, pink plaster makes ovals, circles and arches across each interior, making each room different to the one before. Glass and steel doors flip open vertically, creating a flat window barrier at night. Rounded corridors turn into tunnels throughout the space, proffering glimpses of forestry and sea. The flow of the interior creates continuously-different angles, each catching the sun to assemble their own shapes.

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Each armed with an ensuite, the bedrooms evoke a sense of calm. Bathed in blue and white, the first bedroom reminds of the solar system, with metallic decals in circular shapes. A matching turquoise bed acts as a lounge or sleeping space, while relaxed beanbag-style seats offer conversation. Warmer in hue and showcasing red rock, the second bedroom curves round to the ensuite with an elevated steppe. A wooden basin greets it at its end, while lighter pink ceilings span over to another circular bed and wooden cavity for bedtime necessities.

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Designed to look pre-historic, the Palais des Calles’s design is based on the circular forms of the cave. Shown in pools and water features, it creates a spa vibe surrounded by futuristic domes and stunning scenery. A black and white view shows its unique refraction of light throughout the mansion, as it follows and mimics the natural beauty of the sun.

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Of course, any __home on Cannes’ cliffs can’t forget the view. Guests at runway or fashion shows are treated to a 500-seater amphitheatre, with designs by Dior backgrounded by the wide sea. Cavernous arches frame palm trees, sand pools and man-made oceans. Rounded pools edge out to the Mediterranean’s vast, coast-lined blue.

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On the market for a cool £300 million pounds, what’s not to love about Pierre Cardin’s for-sale resort? Crescent-shaped pools meet juggernaut-style windows for views that make the most of the sky and sea. A location allowing Cannes’ coastline to play with both exterior and interior, each bubble dome reflects, refracts and offers a glimpse inside one of Europe’s most notorious mansions.

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