Alberta Ferretti + Philosophy Boutique
Paris
David Ling Architect

The incredible lightness of being in Ferretti

© Guillaume Guerin

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Taking its cue from the client’s aesthetic of light, translucency, and layering, the architect conceived of the Alberta Ferretti / Philosophy Boutique in Paris as a luminous theater in the “city of light.” To this end, the boutique’s two-story glass facade was inserted into the existing limestone edifices of Rue Saint Honore. The facade is framed, like an open box, by stone finishes on the walls inside the shop.

Inside the boutique, a curved stair framed between two backlit sandblasted acrylic planes serves as the focal point. The stair is comprised of a series of floating stone steps resting on blocks of light. A recessed handrail leads the eye up the stair. Synthetic limestone floors and cream colored walls provide a soft background to the minimal clarity of the two-story setting for Ferretti’s collection. Wall niches contain display areas for accessories. Step shelves on the second floor and the rear alcoves, which are lined with floating glass shelves and a mirrored back wall to give the illusion of depth, also form display space.

Lighting elements include backlit opaline polycarbonate walls and indirect lighting located in the wall, ceiling niches, and glowing shelves. A crystalline glass table, sofa, and chairs accent the already luminous light environment. Fashion accessories float on glowing, sandblasted acrylic shelves that hover weightlessly above the stone floors.

Formal name of Project:
Alberta Ferretti + Philosophy Boutique

Location:
Paris

Gross square footage:
2,152 sq. ft.

Owner:
AEFFE

Architect:
David Ling Architect
225 East 21st Street,
New York, NY 10010 - USA
T: 212 982 70 89
F: 212 475 13 36
www.davidlingarchitect.com

David Ling and Anne-Aurelie Defeche