Groupe Publicis
Paris, France

Gabellini Sheppard Associates’ proposal for a new 22,000 square­foot Groupe Publicis media and entertainment center on the Champs Elysees includes three cinemas, a technology center, restaurant, bar­Fcafe, library, and design center. The client’s program called for the creation of a new ’sensory aesthetic’ derived from the cross­pollination of these diverse functions.

The proposal re­clads the exterior facade above the ground level with a new permeable, dichroic metal and glass shadow box glazing concept that creates a strong horizontal movement of undulating panels across the surface of the building. The ground and first level are re­clad in clear optical glass that allows maximum viewing depths from the outside in and inside out. The shadow­box concept enables the facade to change from day to night, with varying degrees of transparency, translucency and opacity due to natural lighting conditions.

The three walls that comprise the inner core of the plan are the primary forms generating both planar and sectional movement through the Drugstore Publicis. Spiraling from the lower to the first level, these monolithic, suspended planes animate the space by carving, sliding, and projecting a sense of movement onto the floating floor planes. A continuous perimeter atrium and internal stair openings unite the program by providing visual and aural continuity between the three levels.