Eurostar Lounge at Gare du Nord
Softroom

In an age when transportation has become increasingly frenzied and stressful, the new Eurostar Business Class Lounge in Paris is a calming sanctuary. London-based firm Softroom approached the space, in the upper floors of the 19th-century Gare du Nord, with the same deft and deferential touch the studio applied to the café it installed in the Great Court of the British Museum. With its high corniced ceilings, white-marble fireplaces, and herringbone floors, the vibe is residential and plush. Upholstered seating—including several vintage Jean Prouvé chairs—is arranged in intimate clusters. A circular bar is sunk 18 inches below the floor level so that it doesn’t overwhelm the space. Contemporary works by French artists are selected by London’s Hospital Club and are available for purchase. The effect, as juror Dana Cowin puts it, is to “evoke the long-lost luxury of train travel.” eurostar.com

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