In the heart of the Marais, a new coffee destination quietly redefines the language of hospitality. KURA-GE Coffee Shop, designed by Remy Aznar + Moyésoa, is the first outpost of the house KURA-GE — and it feels less like a café and more like a crafted architectural statement.
Occupying a former retail space, the design orchestrates a thoughtful conversation between Japanese craftsmanship and a Parisian sense of tectonics, creating a space that feels simultaneously grounded and ephemeral. The architecture does not shout; it whispers in precise details.
The material palette is led by solid French oak, smoked with ammonia and meticulously shaped in Brittany. This oak becomes the backbone of the space — forming counters, benches, and finely fitted joinery. Traditional butterfly joints and exposed wooden pegs turn construction into ornament, creating a visible, tactile language that feels honest and timeless.
The earth-toned concrete floor, cast in muted pinks and browns, anchors the space with a subtle mineral weight. This grounding is balanced by an equally intentional approach to light. Designed by Inès Aznar and crafted in London using Japanese paper, the lighting is gentle — illuminating without overwhelming, guiding rather than dictating.
Every element is purposeful. There’s no excess, no decorative afterthought. Instead, KURA-GE embodies a kind of quiet gravity, where architectural clarity meets the intimate rituals of daily life. In this balance of wood and concrete, shadow and light, craft and restraint, a cup of coffee becomes more than a drink — it becomes part of a spatial experience.
