Architects reimagine 1985 Paris sports club with retro-futuristic design
Rodolphe Parente and Marion Mailaender create an architectural remix of Ken Club's iconic 1980s spirit
1Reviving an 1980s icon
The Ken Club, founded in 1985 by Mireille and Pierre Benzaquen, was originally a social hub combining fitness and leisure. Architects Parente and Mailaender were commissioned to reinterpret this legacy without creating a period replica. Their design captures the club's original atmosphere through abstracted 1980s references rather than direct copies. The renovation maintains the founders' vision of a space where exercise and social life intertwine.
2Architectural remix concept
The designers approached the project as an 'architectural remix' - sampling elements from the club's 1985 identity and recomposing them in contemporary ways. This philosophy avoids nostalgic recreation while preserving the original's spirit. Key features include saturated colors, rounded forms, and theatrical light contrasts that create a sense of movement. The result is a space that feels both timeless and distinctly modern.
3Color and material palette
The interior features bold turquoise, yellow, pink and green hues against pale backgrounds, deliberately contrasting with typical fitness space aesthetics. Reflective surfaces and warm metallic finishes add luxury, while patterned upholstery and terrazzo-like textures introduce playful graphics. Mirrored elements throughout amplify the dynamic atmosphere and create visual connections between spaces.
4Spatial organization
The 1,500 sqm club is organized around distinct zones for training, swimming, resting and socializing. Circulation routes connect these areas, with strong graphic interventions marking transitions. A light-filled central lounge acts as the heart, linking seating areas to glazed garden spaces. This layout encourages movement and social interaction, staying true to the original club's philosophy.
5Signature design elements
Circular openings cut into walls create framed views between rooms, establishing curved geometry as a recurring motif. The pool area features blue surfaces and large circular openings that visually connect to adjacent spaces. A sculptural staircase with distinctive patterning curves beneath a glazed roof, becoming both functional element and artistic statement.
6Lighting strategies
Natural light floods through glazed roofs into circulation spaces, while artificial lighting creates dramatic effects. Pink-illuminated training rooms contrast with blue-lit cycling studios. Integrated lighting in washbasin areas combines functional and decorative roles. These lighting choices enhance the club's theatrical atmosphere and reinforce the 1980s-inspired aesthetic.
7User experience
Members experience constant visual stimulation as they move between spaces with distinct characters. Mirrored training rooms create infinite reflections, while curved blue walls in circulation areas offer sculptural quality. The changing rooms feature mirrored lockers and sculptural seating, extending the design language to every user touchpoint.
8Cultural significance
Located opposite the Eiffel Tower, the renovated Ken Club represents how contemporary architecture can reinterpret historical spaces. By abstracting rather than copying 1980s elements, the design creates a dialogue between past and present. The project demonstrates how sports facilities can transcend functionality to become cultural landmarks that evolve with their cities.