In the heart of Paris’ sixth arrondissement, the Marché Saint-Germain is a 19th-century market hall designed by Jean-Baptiste Blondel, one of Napoleon’s favourite architects. Threatened with demolition in the 1970s, then listed, the building underwent a major renovation and reopened in 2017. 

This massive rectangular market building is spread over 3 floors. The basement and first floor house the offices of local authorities while the ground hall is home to a covered food market, café and shops, offering a wide variety of produce. As part of the renovation, the arcades were opened up to increase visibility of the retailers and invite shoppers in from the street.  

Schréder, together with the DGLA architectural studio and Barbanel design office was asked to replace the old harsh neon lights with an original lighting concept that would reveal and highlight the architecture of the site. We took our existing Phylos luminaire and adapted it to propose an adaptive lighting with an organic design. 

The new luminaire (452mm high and 650mm in diameter) is fitted with 30 LEDs and beckons pedestrians in with soft, warm tones (3000K). 

The originality lies in the shade for the luminaire, which features a stylised image of the area’s street map. This was laser cut into the shade around the outside, but also on the top.  Three LEDs (with a 15° opening) placed on the arms between the luminaire and the shade, project the image onto the ceiling, creating a very unique ambiance. 

A total of 64 bespoke luminaires were installed under the arches, delivering an average of 35 lux. They are dimmed by 60% during the night, producing energy savings of around 40%.

This market hall has been transformed into an attractive space where people can enjoy a leisurely stroll under the arches, both by day and by night. The little nod to this sought-after area’s character has been noted and enjoyed by tourists and residents alike. 


Customer: Marché Saint-Germain

Partner(s): Agence DGLA, Barbanel design office