153 Faubourg Saint-Honoré

Located on one of the most emblematic thoroughfares in western Paris, this corner building was designed by architect Robert Salles and completed in 1962. It forms part of a long historical continuum: in the 17th century, the site was occupied by several market-garden properties belonging to members of the royal court, before gradually evolving into a residential income property in the 18th century and later into a mixed office and residential complex in the following century. This transformation reflects, step by step, the evolution of an entire neighbourhood.

Today, the practice is undertaking the complete refurbishment of the building, encompassing offices, retail space and residential units, to meet the changing demands of a constantly evolving business district. The coexistence of these three functions within a single building represents one of the project's greatest challenges, with each programme imposing its own technical and operational requirements.

The architectural approach is driven by a dual ambition: to enhance the building by restoring a strong architectural identity while adopting an energy-conscious strategy and a responsible approach to material selection.

The façade undergoes a carefully considered transformation, with enlarged window openings to maximise natural daylight and external insulation to improve the building envelope's thermal performance. A new opening is created at the corner of the building to accommodate the retail unit, strengthening the connection with the street and reinforcing the building's relationship with its urban surroundings.

The refurbishment preserves the existing vertical circulation while maximising open-plan office floors, creating generous, flexible and adaptable workspaces. At basement level, parking areas are reconfigured to accommodate uses that better reflect contemporary mobility patterns, including bicycle storage, high-value amenity spaces and shared facilities.

Environmental performance lies at the heart of the project. Material selection is subject to rigorous criteria, favouring low-VOC and low-formaldehyde products (A+ rating), eco-labelled materials and certified timber. Part of the existing building fabric will be reused on site, while every material is assessed through a life-cycle analysis to evaluate its overall environmental impact.

The project brings together quality of use, architectural restraint and environmental responsibility, delivering a building that is both sustainable and resilient.