Foster + Partners has collaborated with Hermès and the Parisian architecture agency, RDAI, to extend the sweeping staircase within the new Hermès Maison located at 166 New Bond Street, which unifies six historically listed buildings. Originally designed by the practice in 2002, the staircase has been reimagined for the Parisian house that is renowned for its exceptional craftsmanship.
Located within a light-filled courtyard, the staircase maintains its elliptical form that elegantly links the different levels, bringing past and present into one shared space. The original structure connected the ground level to a raised piano nobile on Albemarle Street and then to the first floor on New Bond Street.
The stair has today been extended by a further two floors, with a gentle incline that gradually steepens as visitors rise through the space. A delicate steel and glass roof, also designed by the practice, has been lifted by one floor to accommodate this change. The refined material palette of French Balzac limestone, bronze, glass, and polished plaster is also maintained and extended, with the addition of a new handrail that is made from Hermès leather, hand-stitched by the house’s artisans.
The staircase is a centrepiece that reflects the store’s architectural heritage and the timeless spirit of the house.