Le Galerie Habitat
Paris
La Galerie Habitat is conceived as a poetic bridge between the timeless Parisian streetscape and the sensibilities of contemporary soft-luxury living. Developed as a competition entry for an international design brief seeking an urban residential-lifestyle hybrid, the project explores how the architectural DNA of Paris — its rhythm, refinement, proportion, and light — can be reinterpreted through a contemporary lens that resonates with Bean Buro’s cross-cultural design language.
Reimagining the Parisian Haussmann Block for Contemporary Living
The concept begins with the familiar: the dignified verticality of Haussmann façades, the 19th-century stone cornices, the wrought-iron balconies, the mansard silhouettes. But rather than replicating these motifs, the project distils their essence into a new architectural system — one based on gentle curvature, clarity of line, sculpted shadows, and a subtle yet confident expression of craftsmanship. The façade becomes a modern tapestry of soft limestone tones, slender vertical frames, and delicate rhythmic details inspired by Parisian ironwork but translated into refined contemporary metalwork.
Architecture as Urban Artwork
At the building’s heart is a belief that architecture should enrich the public realm. A softly arched ground-floor colonnade frames the street, forming a shaded promenade reminiscent of Parisian arcades yet rooted in a minimalist Asian sensibility. This gesture introduces a sense of civic generosity: residents and passers-by experience a façade alive with depth, light, and slow-moving shadow.
Art, Craft, and Comfort as Architectural Anchors
Inside, the concept extends into a series of gallery-like interior environments curated with art, FF&E, and lifestyle objects. The idea is not grand opulence, but cultured intimacy. The palette blends warm oak, hand-finished plaster, brushed metals, and soft natural fabrics in creams, greys, and muted rose. Layers of contemporary art — including Parisian abstract ink drawings, sculptural ceramic pieces, and custom furniture with gently rounded profiles — create an interior experience that feels residential yet gallery-crafted.
Every interior gesture maintains a balance of Parisian sculptural elegance and Bean Buro’s signature calmness and refinement. Lighting is soft and directional, creating warm pockets of atmosphere reminiscent of evening strolls through the Marais.
Expressive, Calm, and Culturally Layered
La Galerie Habitat stands as an architectural proposition crafted for global urbanites — individuals seeking the grace of European cultural heritage paired with contemporary Asian sensitivity. It positions architecture as lifestyle branding: the façade becomes a visual identity, the interiors become a narrative experience, and the spaces collectively form a living environment that is poetic, memorable and deeply marketable.
Competition: A Parisian-Inspired Residential & Lifestyle Concept (Unbuilt)
Location: Paris
