Original featureinside the parisian hotel renovation where british club culture meets haussmannian architectureDesignboom Architecture · 28 October 2026 →

Navigating Two Centuries of Structural Heritage

Working within a historic Parisian building requires a delicate balance between preservation and functional reinvention. The Hotel Westminster spans two centuries of architectural evolution, carrying the distinct hallmarks of the Haussmannian era: high ceilings, tall symmetrical windows, and robust stone facades. Rather than masking these original proportions, the recent intervention uses them as a disciplined framework for spatial choreography.

Laurent Maugoust approached the interior spaces by respecting the load-bearing masonry walls and classic mouldings while introducing contemporary programmatic requirements. In high-end hospitality real estate, the primary challenge lies in upgrading services—such as acoustic insulation, climate control, and discreet lighting—without compromising the integrity of historical plasterwork and monumental joinery.

A Dialogue of Materials: British Club Meets Parisian Grandeur

The core conceptual driver of the redesign is the juxtaposition of two distinct design vocabularies. Haussmannian architecture inherently leans towards luminous stone, ornate cornices, and pale herringbone parquet. Maugoust counters this inherent brightness by importing the intimate, saturated palette typical of heritage British clubs.

Rich timber wall panelling, deep leather upholstery, and brushed brass fixtures are deployed to create moments of enclosure within the grand Parisian volumes. This material strategy shifts the psychological experience of the interior, moving away from formal detachment towards tactile intimacy. Darker tones are carefully balanced against existing natural light sources, ensuring rooms retain their volumetric clarity while offering a more grounded, residential atmosphere.

Spatial Rhythm in the Culinary Zones

While Maugoust focused on the primary guest rooms and circulation spaces, designer Helen Stephens was tasked with reimagining the hotel’s restaurant. The culinary venue requires a distinct spatial rhythm that transitions seamlessly from morning service to evening dining. Stephens utilised bespoke banquette seating, low-level illumination, and acoustic ceiling treatments to soften the hard architectural boundaries typical of 19th-century urban blocks.

The restaurant design demonstrates how heritage footprints can be adapted for modern hospitality demands. By breaking the floor plan into distinct zones using custom screens and varying floor finishes, the layout achieves intimacy without resorting to restrictive partitioning.

Related reads

• inside the parisian hotel renovation where british club culture meets haussmannian architecture (Designboom, 28 Oct 2026)
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