Manuelle Gautrand Architecture

Project: C42, Citröen Flagship Showroom, Paris / France
The new Citröen Flagship Showroom is located on the same spot as the 1920s company headquarters, designed by André Citröen himself. The architect has created a bold new building that successfully expresses the distinctive design of the brand in architectural terms. A notable and eye-catching feature is the filigree façade, which consists of overlapping glass pyramids reminiscent of Japanese origami techniques. The only use of colour comes in the form of red accents, used prominently in the façade of the building and selectively in the interior. Here the cars are displayed on a series of stacked, circular pads, filling out the sculptural fabric of the building.

The jury's verdict: "Here the architect has succeeded in integrating the essence of Citröen's distinctive chevron logo into a unique glass façade executed as a 3-dimensional folded surface. The result takes brand design to a new level of elegance, subtlety and energy."

Website: www.manuelle-gautrand.com

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