Situated in Paris, in a splendid Haussmann building, the Reuters headquarters has undergone full refurbishment of its lobby, reception, board room, cafeteria, restaurant and central indoor garden, which was carried out by the French studio 16k architectes.

Specialising in the outfitting, refurbishing and conversion of office spaces, head offices and company restaurants, this group of architects aimed here at creating high-performance communal areas, with the use of long-lasting, hard-wearing materials, particularly resistant to fire, but also innovative, in terms of their pliability and styling.

A must-have for architects and interior designers, HI-MACS® was once again the choice material for the implementation of this prestigious Parisian project. This material in fact boasts a host of qualities, both aesthetic and technical and it was therefore used here to create the reception desk and the pods making up the waiting area.

One of the main requirements for this project was the use of durable material which was especially fire resistant, in order to comply with the applicable safety regulations. HI-MACS® and its M1 classification – non flammable – complied with this requirement perfectly.

The architects were also taken with its thermoformability and therefore its ability to create the most original shapes. The pods feature voluptuous and soft shapes, all rounded, giving the waiting area a sense of conviviality. Indeed, HI-MACS® is ideal for a lobby or waiting room where one is forced to pass the time, since it is a warm and silky smooth material, which is extremely pleasant to touch and hence highly appealing. The architects picked the colour white offered by HI-MACS®, due to its light refraction quality, which makes the venue much brighter.

These many qualities make this Solid Surface the ideal material for outfitting the sophisticated settings of this Haussmann building, specifically the reception lobby and transit zones. Featuring an Oriental and exotic style with 1930s inspiration, the vegetation is imposing here, with a large number of palm trees which form a single whole with the pods made of HI-MACS®. This makes for a genuine landscape effect which opens up new perspectives and new movements in space.

http://www.contemporist.com/2013/04/30/reuters-headquarters-by-16k-architectes/