Behind the project: PayFit

Step into PayFit & see how Palo Modular Sofa, Touchwood Chair and Counter Stools, Kendo Counter Stool, and more come together in a bright palette of custom reds, blues, and yellows, giving the space a motivating & engaging feel. Read on to learn about the process of using Hem products in the project from Adrien and the design agency PLATO.

Photography by Michel Giesbrecht,

Design by Plato Paris TOPLA

👋 Adrien

Company
PLATO Paris
Location
Paris, France

I’m Adrien and I founded PLATO Paris in 2017. We make office furniture for fast-growing companies. We also do workspace design for startups. For this activity, we’re named TOPLA.

What was the inspiration behind the project?

The project is based in a former train repair warehouse along one of the most used train stations in Paris. The building has a very strong architectural identity with lots of light coming from the roof windows. We wanted a design that will never get old with natural materials such as plywood and aluminum, solid and vivid colors, and a tremendous amount of plants.

How has it been working with Hem on this project? Why did you choose Hem?

Hem has been a long-time partner of PLATO (and Payfit) by providing furniture in their previous headquarters. However, on this project, we’ve been further along than the catalog by making custom touchwood chair fabrics to match our colored theme meeting rooms.

Hem provides an outstanding buying experience and product quality that can meet the intense use of a workspace with hundreds of working millennials.

Product focus: our Touchwood Counter Chairs are used in this project in a super expressive and fun way. Can you describe your thought process behind your choice and why you thought they were a perfect fit?

Phone booths are the most requested places in the modern office. In order to have effective meetings without losing comfort, we furnished the booths with custom-made Touchwood Counter Chairs, with some bespoke colors. Touchwood chair is light, can be easily moved to another booth, and makes you stand right in front of the camera so you look great on zoom calls.

What other pieces from Hem did you choose and why? What are your favorite Hem products?

The Palo Modular Sofa is a must. The lines are straight and the sofa always looks sharp. It’s the perfect item for a meeting room (with the Palo Side Table), to sit on for a filmed interview, or to take a nap (daily habits at PLATO HQ). That’s also the sofa we picked for our own office.

The Kendo Counter Stools are also a good match for the kitchens. They fit perfectly below countertops.

The Hai Lounge Chair was picked for the breastfeeding room, too, and is a real success. Mothers and newborns love it.

How quickly did the project come together?

Overall, it was an 18-month-long project. We decided to work only with brands that sell their products directly to the final customer. It allowed us to have a privileged relationship with brands, including some fine-tuning calls with the Hem factory for our specific upholstery fabrics.

The products from Hem arrived on schedule, were perfectly packaged, and really easy to assemble all around the office.

What design trend are you most enjoying at the moment?

We try to avoid design trends in order to have aesthetics that don’t get old. That being said, we’re happy to renew our style with new color palettes and new materials.

We’ll be delivering an Avant-Basique themed project in the months to come. And we try to include more and more re/upcycled materials in our upcoming projects.