Designed by Dennis Montel of the French firm Rena Dumas Architecture Intérieure (RDAI), Hermès Rive Gauche, the dazzling renovation of an Art Deco space that once housed a swimming pool, the Piscine Lutetia, redefines expectations. Hermès has substantiated their exquisite fashion standpoints on style and apparel. Now Hermès presents their interpretation on modern interior architecture with the striking, intricately woven boutique at 17 Rue de Sèvres.
Courtesy of RDAI
The big empty interior is occupied in an exaggerated way: Three wooden structures disrupt the proportions of the existing place to play and dialogue with it. The whale skeletons at the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle in the Jardin des Plantes, Paris; mobile and travelling structures and ships in bottles were Denis Montel’s inspiration. More details from the architect after the jump
Courtesy of RDAI
While the interior architecture, designed by the RDAI agency, scrupulously respects the identity of this listed former pool, it categorically refuses to be nostalgic. The impressive space beneath the skylights is thus invaded by three big huts in light, braided ash wood, rising up towards the sun. Technical feats by a contemporary artisan, these playful cabins are like nomadic structures enlivening the strict lines of the space designed in 1935. Thanks to them, Hermés is once again blending the familiar emotions inspired by tradition with the energy of innovation. Designed to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace, this new store houses all our métiers, with a special emphasis on the home.
