caprini & pellerin’s revitalized casino royal palm in cannes embraces mediterranean art deco

casino royal palm reopens along cannes coastline

Within the newly completed Palm Beach complex in Cannes, France, the Casino Royal Palm has reopened its doors along the coastline, reimagined by Caprini & Pellerin. Once a glamorous landmark of Riveriera nightlife in the twenties, the nearly century-old venue has been reworked into a vivid homage to the golden age of gaming and cinema. Now, blending Art Deco references with Mediterranean influences alongside contemporary craft, the project, with ttheatrical and precise expressions is the result of a nod back to the building’s heritage. Meanwhile, embracing a dramatic scenography that create an immersive experience, a play of textures, materials, and moods wind through and lend the space a renewed vitality.

all images courtesy of Caprini & Pellerin

Caprini & Pellerin blends art deco and surreal influences

Originally inaugurated in 1928, the Palm Beach complex has long been an integral facet of the cultural mythology of the Côte d’Azur. Through this recent collaboration between Partouche Casino and the Palm Beach Group, the venue’s casino is brought back into the spotlight by architecture and interior design duo Caprini & Pellerin. The space unfolds across a central gaming hall, two intimate side rooms, and a flexible entertainment zone complete with a bar and stage. The layouts are fluid and adaptable, accommodating everything from blackjack tables to live music, while a palette of peach, pastels, and warm neutrals drawn from the building’s historical archives connects the interiors to its coastal context. Meanwhile textile patterns inspired by fashion and cinema layer the space with a sense of visual choreography.

With intention, Caprini & Pellerin reinterprets Art Deco through a Mediterranean lens, intertwined with Jean-Michel Frank’s minimalism, the monumentality of American Bauhaus, and the irreverent spirit of Dadaism and Surrealism. ‘The ambition was to create a space where timelessness and experimentation could co-exist,’ the duo notes. Elements such as inverted tin-cone stage curtains, parchment-patina bar finishes, and a custom Botticino marble countertop are balanced against vintage furnishings and Guy Bareff’s sculptural wall lights, celebrating the contrasts between matte and gloss, and softness and geometry.

Two distinct entrances set the tone, each leading into a curated world. Reception desks curve like sculpture; draped elements and pastel walls evoke the cinematic worlds of Wes Anderson without resorting to parody. The design is deliberate, playful, and immersive. Tulip lamps, curved sofas, and floral benches soften the space, while a monumental curtain in pleated hessian and Brescia Fantastica marble discreetly zones the room, separating slot machines from table games.

Throughout, materials engage the senses, from textured plasterwork and waxed concrete to the bronze detailing, and each surface is tuned for both acoustics and atmosphere. A large fresco, dedicated to the artist Israel Rubinstein, spans the gaming hall, reinforcing the dialogue between place and artistic legacy. All gaming furniture, including the oak tables and the upholstered seating, has been custom-designed by the studio.