Set on Rue de Prague in Paris’s 12th arrondissement, Araku’s latest boutique is a café-cum-working roastery, a stripped-back space that reflects the brand’s focus on process, precision, and purpose. It’s the third Paris location for the Indian-born coffee company, brought to life through a three-year collaboration with Delordinaire; an architecture studio who share the same passion for commitment to detail, economy, and intent.
Known for its biodynamic farms and direct trade model, Araku cuts out the middlemen and delivers beans straight from soil to cup. That same clarity carries through to the 110 square metre space, stripped back and rebuilt with care in a refurbishment that’s enhanced original features: think intentionally deepened columns, redesigned wide windows, and a careful composition of volumes.
Situated at the front of the venue, the café stuns with chestnut wood, brushed cement, and stainless steel that come together in a muted palette. The standout is a custom-built, five metre long counter in soft blue. At the back of the space, a large glass panel reveals the roasting area, which — although not open to customers — is actively in use. It’s the backbone to the boutique, keeping the focus on what the place is really about: the coffee. Finally, lighting was treated as a design element, with a custom fixture that adds cadence to echo the slow pace of the place.
Following earlier openings on Rue de Bretagne and Rue Soufflot, this new location adds a quieter, more industrial note to the brand’s Paris footprint. Once again, Delordinaire continued to develop a strong identity, and have pulled off a fine looking space that is the perfect backdrop for long lingering coffee rituals.
Araku Coffee Paris Photography, courtesy Delordinaire.
