A bespoke setting for the Terrasse de la Paix
On the 7th floor of the Maison de la Paix is one of Geneva’s most beautiful restaurants. With 180° floor-to-ceiling windows, it features a majestic terrace overlooking the Alps, the Jura Mountains, and the city’s rooftops. In the kitchen, the teams at NOVAE serve up delicious, refined cuisine, crafted from a carefully curated selection of ingredients and suppliers. An exceptional spot, yet still too little-known.
This observation sparked our collaboration: to give the Terrasse de la Paix a visual identity that artfully expresses its character and helps raise its profile.
It all began exactly one year ago, when I met Margerie Roche during my exhibition “Variations sur motif” at the WRP Foundation. A few months later, I walked through the door on the 7th floor of Pétale 5 and was amazed to discover this space full of curves.
A Place Like No Other
Inaugurated in 2013 and designed by architect Eric Ott, the Maison de la Paix is the headquarters of the IHEID. The building unfolds into six azure-glass “petals,” in a play of shapes and transparencies, without a single straight line. It is a space for encounters and research, home to a vibrant multicultural community: the very embodiment of “International Geneva.”
From the terrace, dotted with small groves, one feels as though floating above the city, between the railroad tracks and the trees of Rigot Park. A serenity sheltered from the surrounding hubbub, enhanced by the view of the lake and the mountains.
The Metaphor of the Stained-Glass Window
Little by little, I began to feel as though I were in an almost mystical place. So I chose to express this universal spirit through the metaphor of a stained-glass window, to give the space a contemplative quality, like a sanctuary dedicated to peace.
Starting with the dove—the restaurant’s logo—I extended the lines and stretched the outlines into continuous curves that intersect like so many bonds. From this interweaving emerged petal-like shapes, echoing the building, and circles evoking wedding rings. The color palette draws inspiration from the existing colors (blues, grays, wood), enriched with orange hues to bring warmth and infuse a more vibrant energy.
From Wall to Brand
The pattern was applied to the walls using fire-resistant self-adhesive wallpaper, thanks to the expertise of the Geneva-based company REMARQ, which guided us in selecting materials that met regulatory standards and achieved the desired effect. To ensure overall harmony, I also guided NOVAE in redefining certain decorative elements, creating a fluid and cohesive whole.
The motif was ultimately incorporated into the restaurant’s marketing materials, right down to the menu. It does more than simply adorn a wall: it becomes the establishment’s visual signature and enhances its visibility.
The goal of the entire project was to give the venue a signature that reflects its uniqueness, in service of its primary purpose: to offer refined cuisine and provide its guests with a delicious, timeless escape. For that is the reward of the journey to the top of the petal: discovering this exceptional place and sharing it with others.
Thank you to NOVAE, Margerie Roche, Alexandra Daclon, and IHEID for their trust.
Book your table or event: La Terrasse de la Paix, Rue Eugène-Rigot 2E (Pétale 5), 1202 Geneva. https://maisondelapaix-restaurant.ch