The man behind COGEMAD’S luxury real estate project

Leading French design and real-estate development company COGEMAD, was founded 25 years ago  by Saudi-born international businessman Emad KHASHOGGI. COGEMAD has fashioned a new dimension of haute couture living by dream estates that range from historic French Chateaux to 21st century architectural masterpieces. Each deluxe home is ready-made for clients to move into, and is characterised by bespoke French design, superior craftsmanship and cutting-edge home comforts.

Headquartered in Paris, COGEMAD is acclaimed worldwide for its sophisticated renovations of historic French palaces. The jewel in the COGEMAD crown is the magnificent Chateau Louis XIV. Located on the outskirts of Paris and designed by COGEMAD’s team of architects, engineers and designers, the breathtakingly beautiful Chateau was built as an exact scaled down replica of the Chateau de Versailles.

Indispensable focal points of the Grand Siecle décor; the chandaliers and sconces were carefully selected with regard to style. Every lamp in the Chateau Louis XIV is on one of a kind that blends perfectly with interior architecture. Altough the Chateau Louis XIV is a palace, it is also a home that provides its residents with utmost of contemporary comforts. Its highly-sophisticated facilities can at times exceed our wildest dreams.

The Sybarite wanted to learn more about COGEMAD and the man behind this luscious Chateau Louis XIV, the founder and CEO, Emad Khashoggi.

1- How would you describe COGEMAD?
COGEMAD is a small family company: the founder and CEO Mr. Emad Khashoggi heads the design and conception team of several architects, engineers and interior designers which are young, energetic, and creative professionals. They come from very different backgrounds, and have all had extensive work experiences before joining COGEMAD.

2- How was COGEMAD born and how did it enhanced its reputation?
COGEMAD was born in the South of France in the late 80’s. COGEMAD’s first project was the transformation of “La Tropicale”, a Belle Epoque villa in Cannes. The firm further enhanced its reputation by designing “Le Palais Napoléon” apartment building, one of the finest properties on the French Riviera.

3- What is the most satisfactory thing about working at COGEMAD?
The most satisfactory thing for me is being able to translate the client’s brief into a vision, and then we always add an idea from ourselves. Architecture is an art of communication and culture.

4- Who is Mr. Khashoggi’s favourite interiors designers?
Mr. Khashoggi loves the works of Zaha Hadid and Norman Foster. And of course we adore the works of the 17th century architects such as Louis Le Vau, François Mansart and Claude Perrault

5- What architectural trends does COGEMAD find the most interesting at the moment?
The trend that COGEMAD finds the most interesting is the Eco and Earth friendly architecture. Emphasizing daylight and natural lighting, fresh air, and maximum space utilization is something that we integrate in our new designs. Moreover, we always stay aware on the new technologies inventions.

6- What’s your most unusual request?
The underwater lounge in the Chateau Louis XIV. We would never think that in a 17th century French chateau, our client would ask us to create a place where he be submerged in the moat surrounded by thousands of fish. Thanks to our Mr. Khashoggi’s exotic inspirations from his travels, he proposed a spherical dome room made in acrylic located in the moat and connected to the Chateau with a tunnel. Today, this underwater lounge is considered unique in its kind in Europe.

7- Could you tell us a bit more of The Chateau Louis XIV?
This is a project that Mr. Khashoggi conceived and designed over 15 years ago. He kept it in the hope that one day he’d find the ideal location and client who would give COGEMAD the opportunity to fulfil this dream. This is very important because it’s not just the fulfilment of a dream but also a challenge; that of creating a technological marvel within a fragile shell that is carefully carved, day after day, by the finest of craftsmen; that of giving rise to a “new structure”, for which one is able to create sustainable projects that will make their mark in the future as well as in the heritage of a region, a country.