Interview with Anthony & Aliénor Bechu of the architecture and urban planning firm Bechu & Associés, and the interior design and architecture studio Volume ABC

At the crossroads of hospitality, environmental responsibility, and contemporary practices, the architecture and urban planning firm Bechu & Associés and the interior design and architecture studio Volume ABC create buildings that care for bodies, places, and their time. The office becomes a desirable place, the city is transformed into an ecosystem, and each project tells a story. A joint interview with Anthony Bechu and his daughter Aliénor.

You currently work for two separate but closely linked agencies. How did this organization come about?

ALIÉNOR BECHU: Our two agencies share a common history. The interior design agency, now Volume ABC, was founded by my father about thirty years ago, in response to a very clear demand from clients: a comprehensive service integrating architecture, interior design, and spatial planning. From the outset, the aim was not to add decoration as an afterthought, but to design projects in a coherent and holistic way.

ANTHONY BECHU: The challenge has always been to ensure true continuity between the building and its interior design. When these two dimensions are considered together, the project gains strength and identity. Conversely, standardized solutions—often dictated by economic considerations—produce characterless buildings. Our credo has always been to be both alongside each other and for each other.

"Innovation is born from contact, from discussions, sometimes even from confrontation."

How does this collaboration translate concretely into your way of working?

ANTHONY BECHU: The collective has always been at the heart of our approach. At each meeting with a client, several perspectives converge around the table. Each person interprets the site and the project in their own way, which considerably enriches the discussion. Today, with Aliénor by her side, my second daughter, Clémence, manages the architecture firm. They are surrounded by partners from different generations with complementary expertise. This diversity creates a genuine sense of camaraderie. For my part, even in retirement, I continue to support, pass on, and share my experience, without ever becoming rigid.

ALIÉNOR BECHU: Being a partner in Bechu & Associés further strengthens this permeability between the two firms. It allows for a great fluidity between architecture and interior design from the very first stages of conception. Projects are built together, in an ongoing dialogue.

The health crisis has profoundly disrupted the way we use workspaces. What impact has it had on your vision of the office?

ANTHONY BECHU: Covid acted as a catalyst. Remote work offered new freedom, but also highlighted what was lacking: the richness of informal exchanges, collective creativity, and physical presence. Innovation is born from contact, discussions, and sometimes even confrontation. More than a simple obligation, the office therefore had to become a place of desire once again. At the agency, we have a motto: to give back roots to people and places that have lost them. For a creative company, these roots take the form of a workshop, a space where ideas can germinate and flourish. When the architecture fosters this creative energy while offering quiet areas, a strong connection with nature, and shared living spaces, the office becomes an inspiring place once more. This is how the company's identity can be fully embodied.

ALIENOR BECHU. This period opened up a fascinating field of reflection. We drew inspiration from the hotel and residential sectors to imagine warmer, more embodied spaces. The office then becomes a place of experience, impossible to replicate at home, and one that makes you want to return.

Your work is often associated with hospitality. How does this approach influence your commercial projects?

ALIÉNOR BECHU: Hospitality is a fantastic field for experimentation. It places the user experience at the center: the journey, the atmosphere, the uses, the emotions. Whether designing a hotel, a restaurant, or an office, the question remains the same: how will the space be experienced? I like to develop a strong, sometimes almost theatrical, internal narrative that engages the senses and creates a story. This approach is now finding its place in increasingly hybrid workspaces.

ANTHONY BECHU: In projects like Mondo, renamed "145 Publicis" by Publicis France, which has made it its headquarters (delivered in Paris in 2024 for Gecina), or Inspire, the new headquarters of Allianz Trade (delivered in Puteaux in 2023 for BNP Paribas RE), the ground floors are designed as true living spaces. Deeply connected to their urban ecosystem, they incorporate restaurants, sports facilities, auditoriums, and event spaces. The goal is to bring city services into the heart of the buildings and create vibrant, attractive structures, even outside of office hours.

For Equilis, a renovation project delivered in 2025 in Issy-les-Moulineaux, this approach was already embedded in the existing structure. The architectural intervention strengthened connections with the city, opened up views of the gardens, and created a central plaza, the true heart of the project. Transparency, seamless flow, and clear spatial layouts have allowed the building to regain a strong and unifying identity.

"We drew inspiration from the hospitality and residential sectors to create warmer spaces."

Climate and environmental issues are central to your projects. How does this dimension influence the design process?

ANTHONY BECHU: These concerns are part of the agency's DNA. Long before climate became a central topic, we were already designing our buildings with wind, sun, and humidity in mind. Today, this approach is enriched by collaborations with scientists and researchers.

We work on water, biodiversity, biomass, and climatology. In particular, we contributed to the creation of The Climate Company, based in Toulouse, which models the climate evolution of a region over fifty years—a valuable tool for designing sustainable buildings adapted to their future environment.

ALIÉNOR BECHU: Nature is omnipresent in our projects: accessible terraces, hanging gardens, green patios, but also interior biophilia through natural materials, light, and textures. Well-being is not an added bonus, it is the foundation of the project.

And what about renovation projects?

ANTHONY BECHU: The majority of our projects are renovations. Each place has a unique history and character, and the concept always emerges from what already exists. The Canal+ headquarters in Issy-les-Moulineaux is a good example: a building that was once closed off has been opened up to the city, its interior life made visible, and its facades brought to life at night.

Our approach is based on carefully listening to the place. Each site has its own soul, which is essential to understand before any transformation.

ALIÉNOR BECHU: Architecture and interior design are fully in dialogue at the Canal+ headquarters: the canopy over the plaza, glass roofs, patios, stone and wood floors, and the interplay of light and shadow create a spatial experience that is both legible and evocative. These spaces foster encounters, exchanges, and a sense of belonging, particularly for a company that was previously spread across several sites.

Flexibility has become essential. An office building must be able to be transformed into housing or other uses in the future, in order to limit waste and demolition. Reusing materials, energy efficiency, and carbon labels require new practices—practices that are ecological, economical, and meaningful.

"Well-being is not an added bonus; it's the foundation of the project."

How do you envision the future of workspaces today?

ANTHONY BECHU: The future of workspaces is still largely to be invented. Green spaces, biodiversity, and a connection to nature are essential and must respond to real-world needs. The challenge isn't to eliminate the office, but to make it vibrant, flexible, and deeply human. Some companies, particularly in the automotive and pharmaceutical research sectors, have already transformed their sites into veritable micro-cities, integrating education, innovation, and research. Even in spaces of 40,000 square meters, offices can accommodate studios, technology, cultural or sporting activities, becoming simultaneously places for work, meetings, and personal growth.

ALIÉNOR BECHU: Our profession is primarily about facilitating experiences. Architecture only has meaning if it is lived in. It cannot be limited to a theoretical abstraction: it must reflect real-world use, adapt to societal evolution, and convey a story, a narrative that transcends the mere built space. Its strength and relevance lie in this capacity to connect past, present, and future, to foster a dialogue between memory and innovation.

“The challenge is not to eliminate the office, but to make it vibrant, flexible, and profoundly human.”

Photo credits: Volume ABC, Bechu Architecte, Pierre Perrin, Guillaume Guerin, Nicolas Grosmond, and Fernando Javier Urquijo

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