August Debouzy

Location: Paris (France)
Area: 6.542 m² (70.417 SF)
Date: 2019-2021
Client: August Debouzy
Program: Headquarters
Status: Completed
Photography: Simone Bossi

The past decade saw the advent of new spatial organizations in office design in response to the growing transformation of the workplace as new tools & methods were introduced, largely driven by technology firms. Concepts of flexibility, working remotely, co-working, blending residential & corporate design solutions took root. Slowly however, our own perception of this trend was challenged as notions of permanence and familiarity seemed to have been sacrificed to benefit a less formal approach.

Our objective for this project was to create spaces that were here to age and not look obsolete as trends evolved. This one goal largely influenced our choice of materials & forms. One way to accomplish this was to aim for a nuanced classicism and draw upon the great examples of corporate design of the past century. This connection was about acknowledging the heritage but also a show of humility and strength, qualities that permeate into this design.