This apartment in Avenue Foch, Paris, used to be owned by a formula one race driver and was now to be refurbished for our client from Abu Dhabi. SAY Architects, therefore, based the concept on a photograph by Andreas Gursky - an aerial shot of a racing track in the deserts of the Middle East.

The idea of the track representing the communal spaces of the flat and the sand representing the living/ bedrooms areas materialised through the use of different floor finishes. The team decided to use black resin for the track and light timber and carpet for the private areas.

The matwell in the entrance lobby was made specifically for this project and represents the map of Abu Dhabi; lighting was carefully considered and, in most instances, concealed lighting was applied to follow the journey through this 220 Sqm apartment.