The Bears Cave by Paul Coudamy
French architect Paul Coudamy has completed the Bears Cave office interior design for an internet company in Paris.
Full description after the photos….
Photos by Benjamin Boccas
Bears Cave
by paul Coudamy
Project : design of an internet hosting office.
Client : Bearstech
Area : 60m²
Location :40 Passage des Panoramas, 75002 Paris
Completed : may 2009
The project is located in a covered alley in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, described by Walter Benjamin. It consists in rehabilitating a shop into headquarters for a computer firm. The idea is to reflect Bearstech Company innovative and animal image in order to promote the wild and raw aspects of their approach of virtual technology and communicate a feeling of strength.
The cavernous and intimate atmosphere is organized in three different spaces : working space, leisure space and meeting space. The back space, more of a serious space, is emphasized by Parisian rock and brick walls creating a solid and mineral atmosphere.
A honeycomb cardboard bench creates a low separation between the meeting room and the working spaces. The bench customized and covered with natural felt invites to take place behind the bar, which by its vivid color and angular form activates circulation between spaces.
The meeting room wood structure intends to translate the chaotic mass power dynamited in an uncontrolled energy : a wood vortex out of a natural disaster. The cavern walls are generated day after day by wooden floors and wood waste pieces collected in dumpsters, sidewalks or wastelands. The anarchical and spontaneous organization of the wood pieces creates an organic cave providing an unique atmosphere to the meeting room.
Project Credits
Design and building : Paul Coudamy
On wood structure, consulting and Co-design : Arnaud Depeyre
Project Manager : Pierre Brochot
Assistants : Bastien Gache and Martial Coudamy
Paul Coudamy was born in 1979, he lives in Paris, he is an Architect.
Graduate since 2006 he works on a wide range of fields from video and new media to object design and architecture projects.
Visit Paul Coudamy’s website – here.
Alexandre on 10 Jun 2009 at 8:54 pm #
looks really cool now, but i wonder how long would it take for me to get tired of it. even though i like it now, it looks like it’s kinda exhausting to the eye…
Sylvie on 10 Jun 2009 at 9:59 pm #
I truly love the feeling of bringing elements from the outside into a workspace. It feels very conducive to creativity and adaptable!
Richard E. Fry, FAIA on 11 Jun 2009 at 9:32 am #
Love free thinking, and fresh ideas, but unfortunately this reminds me of a house in Kansas after the tornado.
Still is fun, keep it up.
Bahay Kubo on 11 Jun 2009 at 10:11 am #
Nice concept but i just dont like how they expose the wirings and cables on ceilings and walls, its kinda messy feel.
hd on 12 Jun 2009 at 7:20 pm #
Homage to Lebbeus Woods, nice one.
BV on 13 Jul 2009 at 1:49 pm #
This is an interesting design and something that I would love to see in person. I respect the message that’s being conveyed in the wood structure, but I do feel that it would be difficult to keep a train of thought with such chaos lying above. It would be more appropriate in a common area.
Sarah on 30 Jul 2009 at 3:11 pm #
Cumbersome, in my opinion. I feel like I need to duck my head, and I’m not even standing in the room.
v.shirazawa on 15 Oct 2009 at 3:16 pm #
i LOVE the light job! It celebrates the awesomeness of the design.
thomas on 11 Feb 2010 at 10:45 pm #
This look an awful lot like the work of Phoebe Washburn.
http://www.zachfeuer.com/images/artists/phoebewashburn/2007ica/PW-RAMP2.html