Saint-Hyacinthe Flagship
From the outside, there’s nothing to suggest what awaits the visitor. The immaculate facade, in classic early 19th-century, is distinguished by its impressive original solid wood carriage entrance, restored during the refurbishment. Entrance is via an impassive hall in raw sheet steel, crowned by a luminous ceiling. A square room featuring a custom-made round table framed by a mirrored ceiling and solid travertine, lights projected onto 200-year-old roughcast walls, a staircase clad all in black… The Saint-Hyacinthe Flagship project is a statement of style, a meeting between a highly designed universe and the brutality of an exposed building.
The building, with its heritage-protected facade, is nestled just a stone’s throw from Place Vendôme. The building’s modest appearance is enhanced by the ironwork and impressive carved carriage entrance that give it its character. The client – for whom Studio Vincent Eschalier has already designed several projects, including personal ones – wanted to create an office space that would reflect its personal style: a very particular outlook, a singular expression rich in contrasts, a great deal of audacity, and a strong sensibility for the arts and design.
The Studio’s renovation is somewhere between sophistication and brutalism. Wishing to respect the building and highlight its history, Studio Vincent Eschalier decided not only to leave some of the two-hundred-year-old walls visible, but also to emphasize their rough appearance, shaped by layers of history. The result is a contrast between a highly scenographic world and the cold history of a place open to the eye. Construction site tags, plaster marks and shovel blows meet the subdued, meticulous design of the architectural proposal, in an almost violent balance between gentleness and strength. The collision between the two worlds creates a striking richness of materials – an interplay that gives each of the rooms a unique identity. A stainless-steel airlock, as if cut off from the world, becomes a real event space: a place apart that creates surprise and serves different areas. The visitor is taken aback from the very first scene, and the objective is achieved. A glass roof at the heart of the block illuminates a Japanese-inspired gym. On the top floor, the creation of a terrace invites you to enter a true haven of peace overlooking the Parisian rooftops. The staircase is a room on its own right. Black, with black carpeting and no lighting: it’s a disruptive experience. The furniture is designed in continuity with the architectural project. Finally on the top floor, under the roof, a reception area inspired by the 70s. The warm tones of stained and varnished wood, colored carpeting, exposed framework and fireplace set in bluish sheet metal create a unique atmosphere.
Between tradition and risk-taking, the Vincent Eschalier architecture and design studio sculpts strong spaces, with raw language and meticulous detail. Founded in Paris in 2009, the studio stands out for the complexity and boldness of its creations. The multi-disciplinary team’s work is guided as much by high standards as by the ambition to produce timeless creations. From the interior of a private jet to contemporary apartments and customized workspaces, not forgetting the creation of recycled aluminum door handles, Studio Vincent Eschalier’s creations cross several disciplines, the main ones being architecture, interior architecture and design.
