Michelin-rated Thierry Busset partnered with Bricault Design to create a contemporary version of a patisserie / cafe from his native France. Situated in downtown Vancouver along a bourgeoning stretch of high-end boutiques, the renovation would require transforming a banal street-level office tower storefront into an inviting and playfully elegant space.
Seen from the street, a teak-lined patio deck with warm burgundy canopy becomes the theater for street side cafe life. Perforated with a grid of miniature portholes, an oversized palmwood door provides a grand entrance to an intimately scaled cafe space, which is enveloped in contoured palmwood tambour walls and natural stone floors. The subtle print of a lacy doily on the ceiling is a nod to the intricate, handmade processes at work on site. Custom glass and marble display cases draw the eye to a dazzling array of macarons, chocolates, pastries, and cakes, while a custom refrigeration display is integrated into a ribbon of curved retail walls.
Serving as a backdrop for the pastry counter, a large picture window to the chocolate kitchen features the behind-the-scenes work of Thierry and his animated staff, while another picture window beyond reveals a pastry kitchen and the multiple layers of production required to supply the cafe and retail packaging; everything happens on site.
A central component to the look and feel of the cafe includes the integrated graphic and packaging design. Black cherry and silver serve as the primary colors for a majority of the packaging, while the colors, shape, and graphic treatment of macaron boxes were inspired by the variegated patterns of the celebrated French confectioneries inside. Designed in tandem, interior, packaging, and graphic design are fully integrated to showcase Thierry’s exquisite creations.