135 Wagram: The Rebirth of a Historic Paris Building

A stone’s throw from Place du Brésil in the heart of Paris’s 17th arrondissement, 135 Wagram occupies a historic building converted to modern offices by Atelier Quinze Vingts.

Addressing the dual challenge of conserving heritage value and meeting contemporary workplace requirements, the project involved a thermal and technology retrofit, improvements to spatial functionality, and a general revitalization of the structure.

135 Wagram: A complex context

The intervention involved technical and historical scenarios that were far from simple. The heterogeneity and density of Paris’s urban fabric, combined with the logistical difficulties of managing a construction site in the city center, were all major challenges for the design team.

With its long history of transformations, the existing building was a multifaceted architectural organism that required an intervention able to harmonize existing elements with new volumes and functions.

The building, originally a two-story timber structure, dates from the late 19th century. In the 1950s and ’60s, five more floors were added, converting the building to a seven-story structure housing both homes and offices.

Integration into the urban fabric

The architecture integrates harmoniously into its setting through geometric, color, and material palettes that reflect the surrounding architectural fabric.

The intervention on the principal façade on Avenue de Wagram highlights the building’s historic presence. The stone cladding, sourced from the nearby Souppes quarries, has two alternating finishes, with split-face on the mullions and bush-hammered on the remaining surfaces. This interplay of textures contributes to the building’s elegance. The windows, replaced with slim bronze profiles, are set back from the ashlar cladding, adding continuity and restraint to the composition.

The subtlety of the intervention is especially evident from the rear, where a new four-story extension has been added without affecting the adjoining building, thanks to the rounded corners of its brick façade.

Accessibility, flexibility, sustainability

The interior of the building was completely cleared of obsolete partitions and rethought with a modular, adaptable plan. Previously dark and closed off, the atrium now overlooks the street through full-height glazing and a decorative, lightweight steel gate, creating a direct relationship with the public realm and improving accessibility for all. The new office configuration provides flexibility and comfort, with bright workspaces overlooking the city.

The project also stands out for its sustainable approach, earning BBC Effinergie Rénovation certification. Standing for Bâtiment Basse Consommation (low-energy building), the index denotes very low energy consumption for heating, cooling, hot water, and lighting. The standard applies specifically to existing buildings that have undergone major renovations, confirming that the work has significantly reduced energy use compared with the building’s previous condition. Essentially, this was the purpose of the project.

This project has reinvented 135 Wagram as a contemporary, sustainable, and welcoming workplace that integrates seamlessly into the urban fabric while responding to modern needs.

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