% Arabica Oberkampf, Paris, 2024

Standing on the corner site, I was reminded of Nighthawks. The project brings together this urban image with the ornamented character of a traditional Parisian façade and the quiet presence found in Japanese architecture, where people casually sit along the edge of a building and engage with the street. By fusing these references, the café creates a streetscape that feels both nostalgic and new. Timber and stone form the primary material palette, arranged against a crisp white backdrop. Existing rhythms are extended through carefully composed interventions, creating a space where contemporary clarity and the richness of natural materials coexist. The plan is organized around a central limestone column encircled by the service counter. Constructed from lava stone—a material traditionally used in both Japan and France—the counter embraces the dimensional limitations of its fabrication rather than concealing them. Thin stainless-steel plates are inserted between the stone elements, creating a primitive layered detail that introduces rhythm throughout the space. An in-house coffee roaster brings a technical dimension to the calm interior. Custom stainless-steel lighting, using coffee carafes as diffusers, transforms a functional object into a distinctive architectural accent.

Photo : David Foessel