Goddard Littlefair has completed the design of its first project in France at Le Parchamp, a hotel in Paris’ Boulogne-Billancourt neighbourhood. 

Drawing on Boulogne-Billancourt’s history as the epicentre of modernism and the birthplace of French cinema, the studio created a contemporary celebration of Le Parchamp’s architectural heritage, together with a playful nod to French 1960’s cinema character Monsieur Hulot.

Monsieur Hulot’s character, which represents the collision of modern life with nostalgia, became a design muse for Goddard Littlefair. The design narrative also relates directly to the evolution of the building, which served as a bank before its conversion to a hotel. 

The repetition of a striped motif throughout the reception area and bar replicates the bold verticality of the building’s facade, whilst also nodding to one of Mr Hulot’s signature accessories: his striped socks. This detail also plays out on the bespoke banquette seating and timber panelling that adorns the hotel’s bar area, which brings together period and modernist style. 

The bar retains the grandeur of the building’s classical past, bringing together antique brass, grand chandeliers and ribbed timber. The colour palette throughout the bar and reception lobby is a toned-down take on the hues and graphics commonly used during the French film era, for which Boulogne-Billancourt is famed. 

Goddard Littlefair has designed two types of guestroom, one adorned in terracotta and burnt orange hues that echo the building’s exterior, and the other featuring a sage green palette that connects to the area’s verdant green spaces. Block colour ceilings were inspired by a similar technique made famous by modernist architect Le Corbusier.

Guestrooms have also been influenced by another of Monsieur Hulot’s signature accessories: his umbrella. A handle-shaped motif features in repetitive fabric designs, a bespoke carpet design which manifests in a half-moon pattern, and in bathroom detailing, including a mirror hung in an arch-shaped casing.  

Le Parchamp is also home to a rooftop bar, where guests can take in the views of Boulogne’s Square Léon Blum and, in the distance, the Eiffel Tower. The bar features subtle references to the area’s filmmaking heritage, with a mix of cinema-style lounge seating and traditional, Parisian-style cafe chairs and tables. Surrounded by greenery, the space also brings together striped parasols and tabletops with a modernist-inspired graphic also referencing Monsieur Hulot. The opportunity to dine outdoors is also available on the ground floor, where the hotel’s courtyard is wrapped by the bar lounge and restaurant.

CREDITS
Photography: Header Image © JFilipeWiens

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