CLIENTKorean Culture Ministry
SERVICESNew Construction, Building Renovation, Interiors
LOCATIONParis
SIZE3 500 m² / 37,700 sq ft
STATUSCompleted 2019
STUDIOS carried out an in-depth renovation of two tertiary buildings from the Haussmann era on Rue de La Boétie, converting them into a cultural center open to the public.
The new 3,500-square-meter cultural center houses exhibition galleries, classrooms, a new auditorium, a library and a reading room, as well as entities including the Korean Office of Tourism.
In Paris, STUDIOS has brought the Korean spirit to life in fully renovated historic building.
Interior space and volumes were restructured to increase office space and adapt them to their new functions while carefully preserving historical elements including staircases, fireplaces, mosaics, ceilings and doors.
In the courtyard of the site—which is located on a primarily residential block— STUDIOS built an auditorium for concerts and live performances whose box-in-box construction delivers perfect acoustic isolation. Modular stages and collapsible rows of seating allow it to be configured in a variety of fashions.
STUDIOS’ structural, volumetric and interior design resulted in a coherent site with optimized circulation that create a feeling of visual and functional unity.
The firm’s global approach also included signage, the design of museographic elements, the decoration of offices and the reception area and even the scenography of the inaugural exhibitions and the lighting schemes that bring the facade to life at night.
The project introduced a feeling of openness and modernity to a historic site in Paris that highlights the traditional and avant-garde facets of Korean culture.
PHOTOGRAPHYBaptiste Lobjoy