A social-based initiative

PCA-STREAM supports Café Joyeux’s social approach through its pop-up cafe design on the Champs-Élysées. Through its day-to-day work in the vocational rehabilitation of people with mental and cognitive disabilities—mostly those with Down’s syndrome and/or on the autism spectrum— Café Joyeux helps highlight disabilities and puts its participants back into their rightful place at the very heart of cities. In three locations in Rennes and Paris, ethical, sustainable coffee is roasted and served, and a variety of catering options are on offer: sustainable food choices using top-quality products, seasonal produce, and short food supply chains. PCA-STREAM proudly designed Café Joyeux’s new pop-up outlet to offer a working environment that is tailored to its unique team of individuals in catering, retail, service, and reception, in a society where only half a percent of people with mental disabilities are employed in an ordinary workplace. The pop-up cafe on the Champs-Élysées thus endeavors to give spatial form to the principles championed by Café Joyeux and which echo the studio’s vision of sustainability, desirability, and inclusiveness.

A tailored space for a unique team

Thanks to its strong partner network, Café Joyeux has been able to open on the prestigious Champs-Élysées Avenue. Currently, the avenue features generic, globalized retail alongside luxury boutiques, so this innovative ethical concept sets the stage for a programmatic and symbolic transformation. This location, right in the heart of the Parisian legend, offers Café Joyeux a new level of exposure that the architectural project embraces to “act as a beacon”. By embodying Café Joyeux’s graphic identity, the interior design affirms and celebrates its unconventional aspect. The color yellow and oriented strand boards combine in a striking dynamic of angles and curves. Right from the entrance, our gaze is drawn to the counter and then travels along a narrative thread, in a journey in which in the public gets to learn about the source of the coffee, the various stages of roasting, as well as the story of this remarkable company. On the walls, a huge bookcase made of compartments of different shapes and sizes presents various items that represent Café Joyeux’s identity. Its contemporary style creates a cozy lounge-like atmosphere on the avenue.

The general atmosphere that is brought about by the use of “domestic” features and aesthetics invites clients and crew members to feel at home. The sculptural appearance of the Vertigo pendant lights provided by the famous Constance Guissot Studio emphasizes the double-height space, complementing the furniture offered by La Redoute Intérieurs. The warm, open and inclusive Café Joyeux lands on the Champs-Élysées and will stay there for a few months to show to the world that its team members can work successfully in a company setting in the heart of the city, and bring value by creating a unique, vibrant, and attractive venue.