French Embassy in Berlin

Elizabeth de Portzamparc took part in the competition for the design of this building in association with Christian de Portzamparc. She designed the project’s reception, cafeteria and residence spaces: the planes, volumes and materials. She also created forty original designs for furniture, rugs and lighting in the building.

She chose very simple and elegant furniture thus creating a solemn environment. It included the works of great contemporary artists – Niel Toroni, François Morellet, François Rouan, Georges Noël and Bernard Frize – specially produced for this embassy.

In the main reception rooms, a few angled suspended ceilings lend a subtle dynamism to the space, without affecting the simplicity of the whole composition. The materials are of high quality in every room, the lighting warm and effective.

The more intimate cafeteria space is composed of a clever play of shapes and colors. The building expresses a great coherence of architecture, furniture and works of art.