Photography by Mathilde Hiley.

Photography by Mathilde Hiley.

Occupying a post-Haussmannian building in the 11th arrondissement, the restaurant retains much of the space’s existing architectural fabric. Rather than overwrite its character, PANELA exposed the brickwork, concrete pillars and weathered metal columns, setting their rough surfaces against a gleaming stainless-steel open kitchen, high gloss ceiling and polished cement floors. This interplay between raw and refined gives the interior its edge without compromising its unpretentious sensibility.

That balance extends to the furnishings. Banquettes assembled from concrete blocks and varnished MDF transform inexpensive construction materials through carefully considered detailing, while simple vintage chairs and tables introduce the easy-going familiarity of a neighbourhood restaurant. PANELA describes its approach as one of “minimal intervention”, favouring a small number of purposeful elements over stylistic gestures.

Photography by Mathilde Hiley.

Photography by Mathilde Hiley.

The most expressive of these are the Portuguese azulejos, sourced by the studio as a nod to Alary’s family roots. Deployed sparingly, the blue-and-white tiles crop up almost like found artefacts, forming a slender frieze above the banquettes, appearing as individual pictorial compositions on exposed masonry and even embedded into the cement floor. Behind the open kitchen they revert to their more familiar role as a backsplash, their ornamental motifs playfully countering the industrial precision of stainless-steel counters and shelving.

After dark, candles integrated into walls and furniture animate these disparate textures, their flames reflected across glazed tiles and metallic surfaces.

Photography by Mathilde Hiley.

Photography by Mathilde Hiley.