ORGANIC RENOVATION

VIB Architecture’s renovation design, the Hearing Institute Foundation joins the Paris skyline with its cell-like facade.

Constructed as a furniture workshop in the early 20th century and transformed into a law school during the 1950s, the building has recently gained its third function with the renovation project carried out by VIB Architecture. Housing the offices of the Hearing Institute and its research laboratories, the building’s facade design reflects these functions. The geometrical pattern created by abstracting the shape of human cell tissue defines the glass facade.

A new courtyard was added during the renovation due to the dense urban fabric and insufficient daylight received only from one facade. The mirror added to the neighboring building and the colored glass facades connecting the office spaces allow the sky’s reflection to be felt inside the building. Open to public use, the ground floor accommodates meeting rooms, a conference hall, and a welcoming area where visitors are informed about new hearing technologies. With the research laboratory placed in the newly added basement and offices on the upper floors, the building offers workspace for 130 employees.

Photography: © Cyrille Lallement, Franck Castel, Alexandre Soria