We developed the hotel concept for a flagship property located in the booming 10th district in Paris.
From office to hotel
In 2016, a family-owned group decided to convert their Parisian headquarter into an upscale hotel. They called us to create a compelling concept for the property and to develop the storytelling around it.
Meeting the locals
Spreading on 4 floors and featuring a large courtyard, the building is in the heart of the 10th arrondissement in the Saint-Martin neighbourhood. It is a short walk away from Gare du Nord and the Canal Saint Martin. Understanding the “DNA” of the area is critical to create something great. That’s why we started on the ground – spending time in the neighbourhood, wandering around, visiting hotels and shops and talking to the locals.
“Heralding the continued transformation of the 10th arrondissement, its cool gallery spaces and café-bar make it a hotspot for local creatives and guests alike.”
“Le Grand Quartier, nouveau lieu de vie du 10e arrondissement”
“Ouvert aux Parisiens comme à la clientèle étrangère, le lieu est un nouveau rendez-vous attendu par les riverains, entre gare de l’Est et canal Saint-Martin. Comme une discrète parenthèse.”
A new flagship in Saint-Martin
Thanks to our immersive research, we saw the opportunity to position the hotel as the “de facto ambassador of Saint-Martin”: a neighbourhood that has been changing drastically over years, becoming more dynamic, filled with younger people, trendy shops, cafes and restaurants (similar to London’s Shoreditch in the last 10 years). Yet, no hotel in the area was showing the same dynamism or creativity.
To make this vision a reality, the project had to become an integral part of the neighbourhood and not remain a foreign enclave like so many hotels in the French capital. We stopped seeing this project as “an accommodation provider for tourists” and rather see it as a “service hub for a like-minded community”.
| Traditional Hotel | Le Grand Quartier | |
| Role | A foreign enclave in a neighbourhood | A neighbourhood hub |
| Zoning | Hotel zoning takes only room guests in consideration when defining space usage | Hotel zoning takes room guests and locals in considerations |
| Outlet | All outlets positioned as supporting services of the hotel | Outlets are positioned as independent services. |
| Customer Flow | Reception area acts as central point to “distribute” visitor | Reception area is only visible for room guests |
It combines a hotel, a cafe, a shop, meeting studios and even a rooftop, dedicated to wellbeing and activities such as yoga classes and relaxation. The idea behind it is to offer a new destination not only for visitors, but also for locals.
We worked closely with Amsterdam-based Nicemakers, the project’s interior designer, on the zoning of the building to define the service concept and the atmosphere of each area. All parts of the hotel come together to masterfully reflect the changing spirit of the 10th district. The name we found – Le Grand Quartier – reflects just that.
“We relied on Creative Supply for the creation of Le Grand Quartier. From the concept to the design direction, and by going to the branding strategy, the work was impeccably delivered and remarkable. The added value is worth it.”
, Project Manager at Le Grand Quartier
From brand story to brand experience
Telling a story beyond the product is paramount for us – Le Grand Quartier isn’t just a hotel or a café, it is a communication channel for its community and neighbourhood. To give a voice to Le Grand Quartier, we defined a unique editorial line that revolves around three themes: “pleasant urban lifestyle”, “source of creativity” and “cultural melting-pot”. As the project progressed, we came to oversee all aspects of the brand experience – from the breakfast offering to the logo design. We collaborated with Pitaya, a specialised food & beverage consultancy to create a food experience centred around the idea of sharing. For the visual identity, we brought on board Police Studio, a local graphic design studio with a background in font design. We worked closely with them to develop a fresh and versatile visual identity.
Pictures credit: © Romain Ricard
