Glancing at the photos for this latest office fitout by Hadrien Breitenbach for creative design agency Al Dente, you’d be forgiven if you mistook the shagadelic interior to be the home of a famous rockstar.
Pairing creative director Patrizio Miceli’s penchant for grandiose Roman sensibility with Breitenbach’s aptitude for the contemporary, Al Dente’s latest HQ brings a little slice of “the Italian way of living” to the heart of Paris, with a very Versace hidden indoor pool to boot.
Designed with lifestyle in mind, the flexible and fluid workspace has been described by Miceli as a “self-sufficient ecosystem” featuring two photo studios, a conservatory, an office space and even an on-site Sicilian chef that utilises the fruits and herbs from the garden in his cooking.
The idiosyncratic nature of this design comes from its mix of influences from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. Entering into a patio lounge room visitors are met with a mirrored coffee table, creamy vintage sofa and plenty of greenery. Light bounces off the white walls from the glass-domed roof. Semi-circular arches envelop the lounge, creating transitions to other areas within the HQ.
On level one, a conservatory with glazed flooring facilitates visual communication with the ground level and its studio space. Playing with perspective, light and proportion, the different but connected spaces are described by Breitenbach as ‘paintings linked together’.
With an overall minimalist backdrop, it’s the furniture that guides you on this rollercoaster through the last century. A curvaceous Pierre Paulin Pumpkin sofa sits across from a retro glass fireplace, a relic of the last tenancy. Sitting poolside in the office space ‘Pollock’ chairs upholstered in emerald green are cheekily juxtaposed with the Charles and Ray Eames’ ‘EA117’ office chairs.
From the Alpine green marble kitchen to the dining room with a bespoke table in green lapland quartzite and midnight blue tubular base that is framed by voyeuristic semi-circular arches, the use of bold colour and design choices sees the project see-saw between different styles and moods.
More than just an office, this living space brings Italian emotion, coolness and cultural aura to Paris, a home away from home for Miceli and his work family.