Forget the old-school idea of an office. YARD’s new home in Montreuil isn’t a workspace. It’s a flex space for culture. A physical moodboard. A bold, layered ecosystem that moves the way the collective moves — fast, collaborative, reactive, and ready for whatever’s next.

Set across 1,600 square meters of transformed industrial halls, Project YARD HQ is more than a renovation. It’s a full-body remix of space and meaning; a place that functions as a headquarters, a community zone, a gallery, a production lab, and yes, even a basketball court.

The project comes from the minds of Exbrayat Enrico Architectes, a Paris-based studio known for material honesty and sharp architectural storytelling. But this one hits different. It’s not trying to polish the past. It’s about pulling the soul out of four fragmented buildings and turning them into a cohesive creative engine.

“Designing the YARD house meant imagining a place where production, creation, and community could converse,” says the studio. “Each building holds its own identity and contributes to a shared experience.”

The Remix of an Industrial Ghost

Montreuil isn’t new to reinvention. The city has always walked a line between grit and experimentation. So it makes sense that the former Beromet factories are now home to YARD — a collective that sits at the intersection of media, music, fashion, marketing, and social action.

But what makes this project special is the refusal to erase the rawness. Instead of smoothing over the past, Exbrayat Enrico leaned into it. The material language is rough but composed: exposed beams, polished concrete, oversized thresholds, and unexpected softness through light, rhythm, and circulation.

Where most offices feel sterile, this one feels lived-in from day one. Every corner is multifunctional. Every hallway can become a moment. It’s open enough for chaos and precise enough for structure. That duality matters.

A Campus, But Cooler

The term “campus” gets tossed around a lot. This is one of the rare times it feels right. YARD HQ is made to shift. 1,100 sqm of offices are spread across three floors. Think collaborative zones, tucked-away rooms, and informal meeting areas that blur the line between home, gallery, and set design.

Then there’s the 500 sqm of cultural and event space. That’s where it gets interesting. A projection room. A modular gallery. A multi-use workshop area. A sports zone with a Nike Grind half court (yes, really). Two kitchens. Massive communal tables. It’s as much a stage as it is a headquarters.

And it’s not just for the team. It’s for brands. For artists. For the neighborhood. This is a home base and an open house, all at once.

“This isn’t a headquarters,” says YARD’s co-founder Tom Brunet. “It’s a production hub, a cultural space, and a signal of where we’re going for the next 10 years.”

Design That Matches the Culture

Exbrayat Enrico’s approach is quiet in all the right ways. Instead of leaning on trendy finishes or corporate gloss, they built a spatial rhythm that feels like YARD’s timeline: layered, nonlinear, collaborative.

Light moves fluidly from one building to another. Transitions are intentional. Circulation isn’t just functional; it becomes a tool for community and chance encounters. One corridor opens into a workshop. Another loops into a screening room. Even thresholds and stairwells feel like set pieces, waiting to activate.

Each of the four volumes maintains its own energy. Together, they act like a tracklist, distinct but aligned. That’s what makes the space feel both grounded and flexible. It’s not a concept. It’s a framework for living.

Not a Template. A Signal.

YARD HQ doesn’t offer a how-to. It’s not scalable in the way office design usually wants to be. It’s specific, cultural, and alive. It holds energy because it was built by people who knew what that energy needed to look like.

And that’s the point. In an era of carbon copies and co-working fatigue, this is a space that knows its people and builds for their future.

Editor’s Note
Client: YARD
Design: Exbrayat Enrico Architectes
Photography: Jean-Baptiste Thiriet
Area: 1,600 m² (1,100 m² offices + 500 m² event space)
Year: 2025
Editor: Tony Hopkins

This feature is part of That Cool Living Magazine’s editorial series on thoughtful architecture and interior design around the world. While not a That Cool Living project, we are proud to highlight work that shares our ethos: quiet design, timeless materials, and spaces built to last.

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