Hospitality Design - March/April 2013 - 148

3. Oak tables are
finished with brass inlays
inspired by medieval
flags.
4. Natural stone and
mirrors that follow the
form of military armor
reference the building’s
medieval past.
5. Newly widened
staircases incorporate
lighting and mirrored
panels.
6. In the elegant
bar, jewel-green
seating pops against
whitewashed original
timber.

Locations don’t come more steeped in history than this

one. Set on the Seine’s charming Île Saint-Louis, one of two natural
islands connecting the Right and Left Banks of central Paris, aptly
named Le Sergent Recruteur was once the central recruiting ground
for conscripts to Napoleon’s vast army. Today, the rustic 17th-century
structure houses one of the city’s newest high-end restaurants, a
culinary address that seeks to reinvigorate classic French cuisine
while aesthetically bridging the old and new.
“We built the story around the history of the place itself,” says
Jaime Hayon, the Spanish-born artist-cum-designer whose work
in the furniture field caught the eye of Cedric Naudon, a French
entrepreneur who takes a first step into the restaurant business
with his newly formed Behind the Scene group. “The brasserie
that was situated here previously had a distinctly medieval feel so,
together with the owner, we talked about reinterpreting this identity
with a 21st-century voice to create an uncomplicated but beautiful
atmosphere.”
Underpinned by the marriage of sophisticated and raw materials
and strong and delicate detailing, Hayon Studio’s leitmotif is evident
3
throughout the interior architecture and design. Natural stone and
whitewashed original timbers provide the backdrop to polished
white surfaces and flooring enlivened by jewel-green seating and
custom artwork. Oak tables are finished with brass inlays inspired by

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March/April 2013 hospitalitydesign.com

medieval flags; mirrors follow the form of military armor; inset wall
niches are adorned with contemporary ceramic interpretations of
traditional masks; and bespoke cabinets showcase meat reminiscent
of a bygone era. These elements, as well as a pink-hued chevalier
guarding the entrance and an Aubusson-style tapestry, serve to
reaffirm the modern medieval spirit. Even in the most playful Hayon
artwork—an oversized handpainted porcelain vase—the theme
continues as a chevalier slices food with his sword. Hayon Studio
designed much of Le Sergent Recruteur’s furniture, fixtures, and
fittings, which were crafted by artisans in Paris and Italy.
Free to draw on their imaginations in many aspects of the
restaurant’s transformation, Hayon and his team did face constraints
when it came to tackling the complex interior structure. Innovative
solutions were required to bring light and air to spaces where once
there had been only darkness. Staircases, for example, were widened
to incorporate lighting and mirrored panels, while a honeycombshaped glass curtain was installed to open up and adjoin the bar and
main dining area. Still, as Hayon points out, the challenge remained
to sensitively introduce elements such as integrated lighting and
transparent glass panels while “respecting the history” of the special
site. hd
hayonst u dio. com; l e se rgent recru te u r.fr

http://www.hayonstudio.com http://www.lesergentrecruteur.fr http://www.hospitalitydesign.com

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