The Potocki Palace in Paris is a striking residence built in 1882 for the Polish Count Mikołaj Szczęsny Potocki by the architect Jules Reboul. Now the building has been opened to new tenants for the first time in more than a century. The building is undergoing a meticulous renovation, which will see it regain its former splendour, while at the same time being given contemporary functions. In the past, it housed the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry, while POTOCKI is now set to become a prestigious headquarters for companies and institutions. The commercialisation of the building is being handled by BNP Paribas Real Estate on behalf of Osae Partners.
Hôtel Potocki – renovation in the centre of Paris
The residence is located on Avenue de Friedland, close to the Champs-Élysées and the main institutions of the French capital. The renovation project is the responsibility of h2o Architectes, led by Jean-Jacques Hubert and Eugène, Architecte du Patrimoine. The work is being carried out in collaboration with developer KAUFMAN & BROAD and investor Osae Partners. The aim of the project is to restore the palace to its historic value while introducing modern solutions. The restored design elements, woodwork and parquet floors will continue to bear witness to the history of the property, while at the same time the technologies used will ensure energy efficiency and durability of the materials. “The unique location will meet the expectations of the most demanding international tenants,” – emphasises Eric Siesse, deputy general manager of BNP Paribas Real Estate Advisory France in charge of office leasing in the Île-de-France region.
POTOCKI Palace in Paris full of elegance and functionality
Palais POTOCKI is organised around four entrances from Avenue de Friedland, Rue Balzac and Rue Chateaubriand. The total floor space is 14,000sqm and allows for 1,900 people to use it comfortably. That’s 2,500 sq m of open-plan office space with natural lighting and five-metre-high ceilings. Some offices have terraces overlooking the garden, which is one of the few green enclaves in this part of the city. Tenants will have 1,200 sq m of service space with a premium restaurant, business centre, two cafés and a gym. The historic halls will be given new functions and can be used as venues for conferences, shows or cultural events.
Key representative spaces include the Salle des Lustres, an impressive two-storey Art Deco gallery with magnificent chandeliers designed by Jacques-Émile Ruhlmann, and the Salle des Cuivres, decorated with pink marble and fruitwood parquet flooring. The elegant Salle du Conseil with its glazed ceiling and classical oak details has also been retained. The centrepiece of the building will be the Agora, a modern space under a glass roof that will house meeting rooms, cafés and a business centre. Also located on the ground floor will be Café Potocki, styled on the 18th century, opening onto a garden and a staircase inspired by the Garnier Opera House.
POTOCKI Palace and its green heart
Potocki’s designed 3,000-square-metre garden follows in the tradition of André Le Nôtre’s designs. It is the elegance of French style combined with concern for biodiversity and sustainability. The green enclave has been planned as a natural extension of the interior, offering places to work and relax outdoors in the centre of Paris.
Modernity for the environment
The renovation of the palace includes a full upgrade of the technical installations. It makes use of geothermal solutions, which cover 70 per cent of energy needs, as well as supply and exhaust ventilation systems, thermal skylights and vegetated roofs. The use of bio-organic materials will significantly reduce the building’s environmental impact. The project is applying for prestigious certifications to confirm its high environmental and technological standards.
History and architecture of the Potocki residence
The palace was designed and built between 1878 and 1882 as a private residence for Count Potocki, a representative of the Polish aristocracy who had settled in France. The architecture of the building represents the style of French classicism with elements of neo-Baroque, characteristic of the Belle Époque period. The façade, with its harmonious proportions and rich sculptural decoration, is an example of late 19th century Parisian residential architecture. The interiors are decorated with marble staircases, stucco, wooden panelling and decorations with floral motifs. Renowned artists and craftsmen of the period contributed to the designs, which gave the building the status of one of the most representative private residences in Paris. After the Count’s death in 1927, the palace passed into state ownership and in 1928 became the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Paris. Over the following decades, it was a meeting place for French business, diplomacy and politics.
In the second half of the 20th century, the building underwent further modernisations to adapt the space to the needs of the institution. Despite these changes, the palace has retained many of its original design elements and today ranks among the finest examples of aristocratic urban architecture in 19th-century Paris.
Address: 27 Avenue de Friedland, 75008 Paris
Investor: Osae Partners
Developer: Kaufman & Broad
Agent: BNP Paribas Real Estate Advisory (exclusive)
Architect: H20, CALQ, EUGENE (historic architecture)
Photography: Nineteen Groupe
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