A Day in Paris with Architect and Designer Aline Asmar d'Amman
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The Beirut-born talent shares her favorite spots in the City of Lights
By Alicia Brunker
The courtyard at the Hotel Crillon, which d'Amman designed.Photo: Stephan Julliard
"Details that possess a compelling narrative are luxury," says designer Aline Asmar d'Amman when asked what design elements most catch her eye. The Beirut-born creative, who maintains offices in her hometown and Paris-based creative is sitting in her light-filled Saint Germain-des-Prés studio while thumbing through sketches from her recent renovation of the historical Hôtel de Crillon. "I'm always mesmerized by the incredible harmony that can exist between words, a color in a painting, or a marble vein," she continues. "All come together as a revelation through discussions and research, and when the evidence of the narrative is there, it can only unfold into a unique response to every project." This design philosophy is what informs every aspect of d'Amman's interior design studio, Culture in Architecture. Even her atelier is a transmission from past to future, with the building's original Haussmannian elements masterfully highlighting modern details. D'Amman, who grew up in Beirut during the '80s and early '90s, splits her time between Paris and the Lebanese city—but the French capital is what fuels her curious spirit. From corner bookstores to the hidden Féau & Cie workshop in the 17th arrondissement, the mother of two finds inspiration for new projects at every turn. To better understand d'Amman's creative process, AD PRO joined the designer for a very busy day in Paris.
Aline Asmar d'Amman.
Photo: Pascal Dangin
I wake up to the sound of my two young boys and count the minutes before they meet me in bed for hugs. After a quick coffee, I'm already on the phone with the Middle East. There's only an hour time difference, but construction site talks are early-morning WhatsApp affairs!
Books and objects in d'Amman's Paris office at Culture in Architecture.
Photo: Courtesy of Culture in Architectur
I check emails and my ever-evolving schedule before heading out the door. I never leave the house without some handwritten letters, which are drafted on an old-fashioned desk with secret drawers. Most of them travel in envelopes with books that I find in my favorite Parisian spots or bring with me from Beirut. There's always a title I'm craving, so the first stop of the day is at the library on the way to the office.
10.00 A.M.
My version of the gym is strolling from bookstores to galleries on the the Carré des Antiquaries in the 7th arrondissement. Down on Rue de Lille, I find the best photography, art, and design books at the 7L library. At one of the nearby galleries, I check on a piece of furniture that arrived for a project. By the time I get to the office, I have already found a place for the new treasures.
I join my team and catch up on drawings, sketches, models, and the latest presentations for our projects. The meeting room table is filled with piles of stones and books with Post-it Notes. Our mornings are dedicated to back-to-back meetings together as a single unit—we agree to have no external meetings until afternoon.
It's time for lunch at Liza's, a Lebanese restaurant located on Rue de la Banque. Whoever meets me at Liza's is already booking a plane ticket to Beirut by the end of the meal. I'm enjoying the Paris-Beirut cultural bridge in design right now, with many events celebrating the cross-fertilization of East and West. The restaurant's atmosphere makes me excited for the Beirut Design Fair—where I'm a member of the selection committee and an ambassador to the fair—in September.
I join my team for a top-secret work session at a three-Michelin-star kitchen that tailors holistic French gastronomy to the City of Lights. It has been many days and nights of learning from and working with an incredible array of talents who are gathered as a team for this job. The experience has made my connection to Paris even stronger.
A villa in Lebanon designed by d'Amman.
Photo: Walid Rashid
A sitting room in the villa.
I make a stop at Guillaume Féau's workshop, where I look for plaster and sculpted-wood panel archives for a new project with historical references. Here, marvels unfold, untouched—with their original patina—for hundreds of years.
There's still time to catch the latest art exhibitions at my favorite contemporary galleries: Diane de Polignac and Emmanuel Perrotin. I also try to never miss a show at Thaddaeus Ropac's inspiring space in Pantin, where an outdoor fire lights up a fabulous Tony Cragg sculpture that I wish I could leave with every time I visit a show there.
The Hôtel de Crillon.
Photo: Stephan Julliard
I make a quick trip home to dress up for a nightcap at Hôtel de Crillon. It's always a thrill to come back after the five-year renovation I oversaw as the artistic director of the palace's decoration and designer of several iconic suites and patrimonial areas. I love walking into the lobby and catching up with the staff, who tell stories about the design to hotel guests. The balance of modernity and tradition, the Parisian chic with an edge, are just what the French capital is all about.
Nights are endless in Paris, but I force myself to head to bed. I can't wait to have more of my dreams realized in the morning.
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