Paris Archives

Norman Foster looking through a circular hole in a large sculptural structure at his exhibition in the Centre Pompidou

An exhibition dedicated to the work of British architect Norman Foster has opened at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, showcasing drawings and original models produced by the architect over the last six decades.

The exhibition, which according to the Norman Foster Foundation is the largest-ever retrospective display of Foster’s work, features around 130 of the architect’s projects including the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Headquarters, Hong Kong International Airport and Apple Park.

Designs that informed Foster’s work are also exhibited, including works by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, French painter Fernand Léger, Romanian sculptor Constantin Brancusi and Italian painter Umberto Boccioni, and even cars, which the architect is passionate about.

The exhibition, simply called Norman Foster, was designed by Foster with his architecture studio Foster + Partners and nonprofit organisation the Norman Foster Foundation.

Model of a yellow structure by Norman Foster at the Centre Pompidou — On display are sketches, drawings and models of the architect’s buildings

Curated by Centre Pompidou deputy director Frédéric Migayrou, the exhibition aims to showcase examples of Foster’s innovation and technology, his approach to sustainability and his ideas for the future of the built environment.

“This exhibition traces the themes of sustainability and anticipating the future,” said Foster.

“Throughout the decades we have sought to challenge conventions, reinvent building types and demonstrate an architecture of light and lightness, inspired by nature, which can be about joy as well as being eco-friendly.”

Architecture and cars models at the Norman Foster exhibition at the Centre Pompidou — Examples of Foster’s work are interspersed with cars that have inspired him

The 2,200-square-metre exhibition begins with a room dedicated to Foster’s sketches and drawings, a practice he uses to communicate ideas and log design inspiration.

“For me, design starts with a sketch, continuing as a tool of communication through the long process that follows in the studio, factories and finally onto the building site,” said Foster.

“In 1975 I started the habit of carrying an A4 notebook for sketching and writing – a selection of these are displayed in the central cabinets, surrounded by walls devoted to personal drawings.”

Architectural drawings in the Centre Pompidou in Paris — Visitors begin the exhibition in a room filled with Foster’s sketches

The exhibition continues in a large space with partition walls that separates it into seven themes: Nature and Urbanity, Skin and Bones, Vertical City, History and Tradition, Planning and Place, Networks and Mobilities, and Future Perspectives.

The Nature and Urbanity section explores Foster’s approach to preserving nature by building “dense urban clusters, with privacy ensured by design,” the studio said.

Referencing a critic’s comment that the external appearance of Foster’s projects could be categorised as having a smooth “skin” facade or expressing its skeletal structure, the Skin and Bones portion of the exhibition showcases projects that illustrate the relationship between structure, services and cladding.

In the Vertical City section, the studio showcases how it created “breathing” towers by designing open, stacked spaces.

Architectural models and drawings in the Centre Pompidou in Paris — The exhibition features around 130 Norman Foster projects

“We were the first to question the traditional tower, with its central core of mechanical plant, circulation and structure, and instead to create open, stacked spaces, flexible for change and with see-through views,” said Foster.

“Here, the ancillary services were grouped alongside the working or living spaces, which led to a further evolution with the first ever series of ‘breathing’ towers.”

Architectural models and drawings at the Norman Foster exhibition in the Centre Pompidou in Paris — It showcases projects spanning Foster’s six-decade-long career

“In the quest to reduce energy consumption and create a healthier and more desirable lifestyle, we showed that a system of natural ventilation, moving large volumes of fresh filtered air, could be part of a controlled internal climate,” the architect continued.

The History and Tradition section aims to provide insight into examples of historic and vernacular architecture that influenced Foster, while the Planning and Places portion explores masterplanning and placemaking in urban spaces.

Towards the open exhibition space’s exit, the Networks and Mobility section displays examples of transport and infrastructure and leads to the final room, Future Perspectives, which exhibits concepts for future methods of travel and communication.

On display are details of autonomous self-driving systems and designs for habitats on Mars and the moon that were developed with NASA and the European Space Agency.

Foster recently spoke with Dezeen about his views on sustainability in architecture, in which he said “there are lots of dangerous myths”.

The photography is by Nigel Young from Foster + Partners.

The Norman Foster exhibition is on display at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, France, from 10 May to 7 August 2023. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.

Reference

Interior Design

Rodolphe Parente respectfully rethinks Haussmannian apartment in Paris

By Zarkon Group,09/05/2023

French interior designer Rodolphe Parente has completed a contemporary overhaul of a 19th-century Parisian apartment, reflecting both the building’s heritage and the “radical” art collection of its owner.

Originally built during Haussmann’s major reconstruction of Paris, the 150-square-metre flat is located in the Canal Saint-Martin neighbourhood in northeastern Paris.

As part of the renovation, Parente sought to celebrate the apartment’s extensive period details. In the entrance hall, a band of gold leaf now highlights the geometry of the circular ceiling and missing sections of the mouldings were painstakingly reinstated.

“The main idea was to preserve and at some points restore the classic Haussmannian codes of a Parisian apartment,” Parente told Dezeen. “It was important for me to keep the Parisian vibration as well as the radical tone of my client’s art taste.”

Dining room of Parisian apartment by Rodolphe Parente — Redfield & Dattner created an abstract fresco behind the dining table

Parente began by opening up the apartment to improve the sense of flow, exposing long sealed-off doorways and connecting the dining room with the kitchen.

Taking cues from the craftsmanship inherent in the apartment, Parente drafted in several contemporary craftspeople including custom painting studio Redfield & Dattner, which created an abstract fresco on the new wall behind the dining table.

Kitchen of Canal Saint-Martin apartment — The kitchen balances cabinet finishes of stainless steel and pastel pink

“I wanted to bring the hand of craftsmanship into this project,” said Parente.

“The people I have worked with on this apartment bring something to the creativity in general.”

Living room of Parisian apartment by Rodolphe Parente — A sculptural vintage sofa centres the living room

Throughout the space, a palette of warm neutrals was used to create a sense of immersion.

“I chose neutral tones to subtly enhance the classical heritage of the apartment and keep an enveloping atmosphere,” the interior designer explained.

Against this cohesive backdrop, surprisingly colourful elements leap out including the lacquered yellow light above the dining table – Parente’s own design – and the vivid purple rug used against caramel-coloured walls in the main bedroom.

The kitchen balances cabinet finishes of stainless steel and pastel pink with a frame-like marble splashback, created by French artist Alice Guittard for Double V Gallery.

“The kitchen is a deconstructed block sitting in the Haussmanian environment,” Parente said. “It is connected to the historical elements through its composition.”

Reading room of Canal Saint-Martin apartment — Period wall panelling remains in the reading room

In the living room, a sculptural vintage sofa is sited in the centre of the space, anchored by a graphic rug and positioned to disrupt the angles of the room.

Parente played with contrast via the material and colour palettes throughout the apartment. In the reading room, period wall panelling highlights the modernity of the sofa and chair with their highly lacquered side panels.

Reading room of Parisian apartment by Rodolphe Parente — Parente designed a custom chair and sofa for the space

“For this room, we have designed custom-made furniture with contemporary and radical shapes bringing a form of reflection to the space,” the designer said.

The idea of juxtaposition continues with the art displayed in the apartment, with the client’s often provocative pieces completing the aesthetic in each room.

Detail shot of bedroom in Canal Saint-Martin apartment — Colours clash in the main bedroom

“The client showed total faith in this balance between modernism and legacy for the interior design. He also wanted to keep this dialogue for the decoration and focused on staying eclectic in his choice of furniture and art,” said Parente.

“The client has a radical point of view regarding art and design. It was a real pleasure to create a dialogue between the existing pieces and the interior design.”

Bedroom of Parisian apartment by Rodolphe Parente — A vivid purple rug contrasts with caramel-coloured walls

Other Hausmann-era apartment renovations in Paris have seen interior designers make more dramatic interventions, with Atelier 37.2 adding a sculptural wooden volume to house a new bathroom while Studio Razavi inserted a multifaceted furniture block that takes on a different function in each room.

The photography is by Giulio Ghirardi.

Reference

Architecture

sweeping AI-generated skateparks emerge from paris’ cityscape

By Zarkon Group,16/04/2023

ūti architectes rethinks paris’ skateboarding culture

Amid the dense urban fabric of Paris, ūti architectes unveils hidden skateparks sweeping across the cityscape using artificial intelligence design tool Midjourney. The series renders quiet urban pockets far from the hustle and bustle of the street life, where vast concrete skateparks emerge seamlessly as extensions of the city’s iconic architectural fabric. Extending its conceptions beyond the physical realm, the architectural office imagines a new, somewhat surreal dimension to Paris’ culture of skateboarding.

all images by ūti architectes

hidden skateparks become at one with the city’s architecture

ūti architectes creates the series as a photographic report that documents imagined, hidden skating venues that appear to have always been a part of the Parisian landscape. Surreal in their scale and form, the structures at the same time discreetly fuse with the city’s build-up in their materiality. ‘For a moment it is possible to doubt their true existence,’ notes the architect.

The Hidden Skateparks of Paris series explores means of conceptualization and reimagines new urban spaces using Midjourney. The AI program, the architect considers, opens up new reflections while creating doubts about whether these renderings really exist or not. ‘Through a process of back and forth iterations with Midjourney, we obtained a collection of quasi-tangible spaces. Having grown up in Paris with the culture of skateboarding, which is deeply rooted in certain iconic places, it was an opportunity to explore and take a new look at Paris as an architect.’

ūti architectes unveils hidden skateparks sweeping across the cityscape

vast concrete skateparks emerge seamlessly as extensions of the city’s iconic architectural fabric

‘a collection of quasi-tangible spaces’

the AI-generated structures appear to have always been tucked into the city

surreal in their scale and form

ūti architectes imagines a surreal dimension to Paris’ skateboarding scene

project info:

name: Hidden Skateparks of Paris
designer: ūti architectes

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: ravail khan | designboom

Reference

Interior Design

Traditional Hong Kong diners inform interior of Bao Express in Paris

By Zarkon Group,14/02/2023

Design studio Atelieramo has completed a retro interior for a Chinese restaurant in Paris, featuring celadon-green walls and curvaceous wooden booths modelled on those found in Hong Kong diners from the 1970s.

Architect Tala Gharagozlou and designer Virginie de Graveron oversaw the interior concept for Bao Express, a restaurant near Bastille in the 11th arrondissement that serves dim sum and bao buns.

Housed in a former button factory, the 500-square-metre space is divided into three areas: a bakery, a diner and a basement bar.

Atelieramo set out to create a series of distinct yet connected spaces that evoke the architecture and pop culture of 1970s Hong Kong – in particular its greasy spoon cafes, locally known as cha chaan tengs.

Wood-lined seating booth in Paris restaurant by Atelieramo — Diners can sit in the eatery’s cosy wood-lined booths

“We reinterpreted snippets of that vibrant Hong Kong urban atmosphere with its coloured pavings, pastel colours, neon lights and dense mix of patterns and motifs,” said the studio.

“The aim was not to create a decor but rather, with a playful nod to these references, create a new atmosphere distinct to Bao’s new space.”

Mint-green dining room of Bao Express restaurant in Paris — A larger skylit dining area is located in the rear. Photo by Géraldine Martens

The adaptation of the existing abandoned building involved significant alterations to the floor plates and structure, along with the addition of a new staircase and circulation.

From the street, customers enter a small bakery and cafe serving sweet and savoury snacks to eat in or take away. What appears as a simple neighbourhood cafe conceals the presence of the larger dining areas, which are set back in the building’s plan.

Pastel-hued staircase in Chinese restaurant by Atelieramo — A new staircase leads down to the basement bar. Photo by Bérénice Bonnot

The kitchens are visible from the street and guests walk past colourful crates of raw produce before passing through a metal curtain to reach the main Bao Express diner.

The long dining space features cosy booths with sinuous wooden frames. The pastel-green walls are contrasted with bespoke bright-red sconces and simple mosaic panels that echo the materials of the central bar.

Towards the rear of the building is a larger dining area topped with an expansive skylight. This bright and airy space is filled with plants that create the feeling of dining in a winter garden.

Exposed masonry walls painted in celadon-green form the basis for a playful colour palette featuring contrasting peach and pink elements as seen in the glossy tabletops.

Bar with hammered-metal ceiling in Bao Express restaurant in Paris — A hammered-metal artwork by SupaKitch decorates the ceiling in the bar

The studio’s eclectic use of colour and pattern extends to the geometric tiled floors and punchy black-and-white stripes that are painted on the walls of the staircase leading down to the basement bar Underpool.

This bar area features a hammered-metal ceiling installation by French artist SupaKitch, with a rippled surface that reflects the blue-green interior and creates the impression of looking up at an upside-down swimming pool.

Swimming pool ceiling installation in Chinese restaurant by Atelieramo — The artwork creates the impression of looking up at a swimming pool

Bao Express is part of a family of eateries in Paris owned by restaurateurs Céline Chung and Billy Pham. Atelieramo was responsible for designing several of the duo’s restaurants, each of which has a unique character inspired by different aspects of Chinese culture.

Another eatery informed by traditional cha chaan tengs is The Astor restaurant in Hong Kong’s Eaton hotel, designed by New York studio AvroKO, which mixes elements of the city’s diners and street food stalls with nods to the arthouse films of Wong Kar-Wai.

The photography is by Carole Cheung unless otherwise stated.

Reference

Interior image of Balenciaga's Couture Store in Paris

Interior Design

Balenciaga opens smoked-glass couture store beneath historic atelier in Paris

By Zarkon Group,15/09/2022

Fashion house Balenciaga has opened a couture store with smoked-glass-panelled walls in the same building as its original couture salon in Paris.

The store is located beneath Balenciaga‘s historic atelier at 10 Avenue George V, which was recently renovated to exactly replicate the interior of the original couture salon that was first opened in 1937.

“The newly renovated space at 10 Avenue George V is dedicated to preserving Balenciaga’s heritage in its original couture location, first opened in 1937, as well as creating a couture for today,” said the brand.

The design of the store beneath the couture salon was created by long-time Balenciaga collaborator Sub, a Berlin-based architecture studio that was founded by Niklas Bildstein Zaar and Andrea Faraguna.

Interior image of a smoked-glass changing room at Balenciaga's Couture Store — The store is located in the same building as Balenciaga’s original couture salon

The boutique’s exterior is marked by oversized serif Balenciaga signage, a nod to Balenciaga’s 20th-century branding that also forms a distinction from the narrow, sans serif typeface that currently identifies the brand.

Beneath the signage, four arched openings frame swooping curtains that are given a golden hue by the brown-tinted glazing.

Interior image of a grey-hued fitting room at the Balenciaga Couture Store — Grey curtains zone spaces throughout the store

The interior of the couture store echoes Balenciaga’s raw architecture concept, which was applied internationally across the interior of its stores, but this edition has been clad in panels of tinted glass instead of concrete.

Between the unfinished but glass-clad walls, ash-hued curtains conceal carpeted areas while wrinkled-leather ottomans were placed throughout the two-storey store.

Wrought iron balustrades and a curving marble staircase, with glass panelling slotted around it, hint at the building’s history and the former decor and interior scheme of the atelier above.

“The concept of the couture store is a gateway to couture, which remains a very closed universe, especially for new generations,” said Balenciaga CEO Cédric Charbit.

Interior image of the first floor of the Balenciaga Couture Store — Remnants of the store’s history were incorporated into the design

“In this new store, products, made-to-measure services and retail excellence are a reinvention of the Balenciaga client experience,” said Charbit.

“It is exciting to be able to present this level of craft, creativity and made-in-France savoir-faire in our historical address.”

Image of the interior with mirrors surrounding the store's columns and supports — Balenciaga’s couture atelier is located above the store

Metal shelving was decorated with couture items, ranging from artisanal to technological, from the brand’s most recent Autumn Winter 2022 couture show.

Items on display include its speaker bag, which was created in collaboration with Danish audio brand, Bang & Olufsen.

Earlier in 2022, Balenciaga wrapped its Mount Street store in London in a bright pink faux fur to celebrate its Le Cagole bag.

Photography is courtesy of Balenciaga.

Reference

Interior Design

Halleroed inserts sculptural travertine plinths in Axel Arigato’s Paris store

By Zarkon Group,05/07/2021

Design studio Halleroed has used travertine podiums to display sneakers like sculptures in the Paris store of streetwear label Axel Arigato.

Located in the Marais district on Rue Vieille du Temple, the boutique stocks the brand’s full range of footwear, clothing and accessories, in addition to a curated selection of design objects.

The store occupies two rooms divided by a freestanding wall of light-yellow travertine, which references the columns and beams found in classical architecture.

Walls and floors are finished in raw concrete while overhead, a punctured grid ceiling conceals the store’s lighting system.

A series of sculptural display plinths made from honed, bush-hammered or raw travertine stone help to create a “grandiose” entrance, designed to emulate the feeling of stepping into an art gallery.

Retail interior by Halleroed with shoes displayed on travertine blocks — A freestanding travertine wall divides the space into two

“The normal model for a sneaker brand is to cover every centimetre of the back walls in products from floor to ceiling,” Axel Arigato‘s co-founder and creative director Max Svärdh told Dezeen.

“We do the opposite by displaying our product on podiums in the centre of the room instead, like a piece of sculpture.”

Close-up of travertine stone table in Axel Arigato Paris store — The stone was hammered, honed or left raw

Travertine was also used to form a series of shelves in the rear of the store and custom chairs in the dressing room.

According to Svärdh, the stone has been a key element in all of Axel Arigato’s retail locations so far.

Mirroed steel clothes rail in retail interior by Halleroed — A mirrored steel clothes rail wraps the back of the store

“Our brand colour is a pale yellow so we were naturally drawn to the light yellow travertine,” he explained.

“We worked with different finishes to bring out its characteristics and more specifically highlight its impurities, which in itself makes it more beautiful.”

To contrast with the travertine, Halleroed wrapped an upholstered bench seat around one of the columns and introduced a chunky, stainless steel clothes rail.

This lines the store’s back wall and extends out into a courtyard filled with white gravel.

Travertine wall, mirrored clothes rail and upholstered bench in Axel Arigato Paris store — An upholstered bench is wrapped around a central column

Axel Arigato was launched in 2014 as an online store for luxury streetwear. It opened its first brick-and-mortar space in London’s Soho in 2016 and has since expanded into four standalone spaces.

“We always look to the neighbourhood and the specific building that we are in [when designing a store],” Svärdh said.

“Paris is the home of luxury and the use of rich travertine stone really embodies that. All standalone stores have a gallery-esque feeling to them with mutual design codes but offer completely unique experiences.”

White sneaker on travertine shelves in retail interior by Halleroed — The displays are designed to exhibit trainers as if they were sculptures

A large freestanding LED screen is used for displaying creative content in the Paris store.

The brand has previously worked with Halleroed – founded in 1998 by Christian and Ruxandra Halleroed – on its London, Stockholm and Copenhagen flagship stores, which all feature monochromatic colour palettes and concrete surfaces.

Photograhy is by Benoit Florençon.

Reference

Paris

Norman Foster retrospective exhibition opens at Centre Pompidou in Paris

Rodolphe Parente respectfully rethinks Haussmannian apartment in Paris

sweeping AI-generated skateparks emerge from paris’ cityscape

ūti architectes rethinks paris’ skateboarding culture

hidden skateparks become at one with the city’s architecture

Traditional Hong Kong diners inform interior of Bao Express in Paris

Balenciaga opens smoked-glass couture store beneath historic atelier in Paris

Halleroed inserts sculptural travertine plinths in Axel Arigato’s Paris store

Get in touch

about us

Company info

Useful Links

Newsletter