A Renovated Modernist Oasis in the French Riviera That Has Hosted Picasso and Royalty
Once home to modernist architect Barry Dierks, this historic home overlooking the Mediterranean Sea gets some functional updates without sacrificing its timeless appeal.
“Coco Chanel is said to have invented sunbathing, but Barry Dierks created the places to do it,” say the architects tasked with updating this historic French villa. American born modernist architect Barry Dierks moved to the Cote d’Azur in 1925 where he left behind a legacy of villas dotting the French Riviera. In 2011, the German firm 4a Architekten received the commission to completely renovate the first of Dierks’ villas, Villa le Trident. The remodel aimed to preserve the white cubic architecture of the facade while outfitting the interior with modern amenities. It’s these modern features that keep the house feeling as effortlessly low-maintenance chic as it did in 1926.