Tactile Café
Designer | Charlotte Petit "Argia Architecture"
Location | Paris, France
Launch Date | March 17, 2026
Tactile was conceived as the reinterpretation of a traditional Parisian bistro into a contemporary multisensory specialty coffee space.
The goal of the design was to translate the precision and intentionality usually found in coffee competitions into a real hospitality environment accessible to everyday guests. We wanted coffee not only to be tasted, but physically experienced through touch, sound, scent, texture, and visual details.
The project preserves key architectural elements of the original café — antique parquet flooring and the historic mirrored wall — while introducing a contemporary language balancing organic curves, monolithic forms, and tactile materials. Inspired by the existing arches, a custom curved ceiling integrating continuous LED lighting creates fluidity and softness throughout the space.
Material choices were driven by texture, durability, and local craftsmanship: polished concrete for the bar and seating, limewash walls, lacquered surfaces intentionally sensitive to traces and fingerprints, handcrafted oak furniture made in France, and handmade ceramics developed with French artisans.
The sensory dimension extends beyond architecture itself. Disposable paper cups are manually embossed every day, some ceramic pieces integrate Braille, acoustic treatment softens the urban environment, and custom soaps were developed by a perfumer from the aromatic expression of three coffee terroirs.
The main references were traditional Parisian bistros, Japandi minimalism, specialty coffee competition culture, and the visual identity co-created with Alexis Taieb (Studio Tyrsa) and Julien Pham (Phamily First).
The ambition was to create a contemporary Parisian hospitality space where craftsmanship, sensory precision, and attention to detail coexist naturally.
