Shiseido EMEA, the regional subsidiary of the Japanese cosmetics group founded in 1872, embarked on an exceptional workplace fit-out to create its new headquarters in Neuilly-sur-Seine. The 7,000 sqm project, located within the Tempo building, brought together 650 employees previously based on rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré.
The client's ambition was clear: to create a headquarters truly embodying Shiseido’s cultural identity, merging Japanese heritage, attention to detail, and luxury codes. The brief called for optimised, hybrid workspaces based on a 100% flex office model, while enhancing employee experience in the long term.
The project came with tight delivery deadlines and a fixed building selection. With a non-negotiable schedule, it was essential to secure the entire scope: workplace strategy, Design & Build, furniture, and move management—all executed with flawless coordination.
A OneJLL organisation and custom delivery model to meet deadlines
Confronted with strong constraints, JLL and Tétris designed a bespoke organisational structure, planned from the outset to make the project possible within the chosen building. The challenge went beyond office design; it was about establishing the operational conditions needed to guarantee delivery on time.
JLL led the project as a true conductor, leveraging its full expertise in:
- Tenant Representation and leasing negotiation
- Technical due diligence
- Project Management
- Workplace consulting and change management
- Smart building and engineering
- Design & Build, furniture solutions and move management with Tétris
A tailored contractual framework, jointly developed by Tétris and JLL, aligned design, construction, and site requirements. Combined with regular governance meetings, this setup fostered collective momentum and full stakeholder engagement around a shared objective: delivering a particularly demanding schedule.
Design & Build: Transforming corporate culture into spatial experience
The architectural concept centers on a refined, elegant aesthetic, directly inspired by Shiseido’s heritage. It blends Japanese minimalism, omotenashi (sense of hospitality), and French elegance. The spaces showcase premium materials, volumes, and natural light, featuring a palette of calm, neutral tones.
Tétris played a pivotal role, translating this vision into technical reality. Used to luxury retail standards, Shiseido’s artistic director imposed high-end expectations rarely seen in a corporate environment. The fit-out, completed in just six months, required the highest levels of expertise and anticipation.
Tétris managed a large-scale site, with over 20 companies and up to 60 tradespeople on-site daily. Many elements were 100% bespoke, as no ready-made solutions were available within the schedule’s constraints.
Key achievements include:
- Custom stainless steel olfactory booths with specialist HVAC integration
- Dedicated treatment rooms
- A make-up room and photo studio
- Meeting rooms and CEO office with advanced acoustic demands
Mock-ups, prototypes, and dry-runs enabled early adjustment of finishes and secured final quality seldom achieved in corporate offices.
Furniture, move and circularity: Proven operational expertise
Tétris delivered an end-to-end turnkey service, from new furniture perfectly in line with the architectural vision, to managing the team relocation. In parallel, Tétris deployed its Tétris Re-Use solution with a practical approach to the circular economy, in line with Shiseido’s commitments.
Teams managed:
- The resale of some existing furniture through specialist brokers
- Recycling of remaining items via certified channels
- Management of WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment)
- Disposal of non-hazardous industrial waste (wood, plastics, etc.)
Relocating 650 employees over five days represented a major logistical challenge, mobilising around 40 people daily within a highly constrained timeframe.
Beyond workstations, teams handled large volumes of products, samples and bespoke furniture, requiring meticulous preparation. The two-month move phase resulted in a seamless transition with virtually zero after-sales intervention required.
A collective success, setting a new standard for headquarters delivery
The success of this outstanding fit-out project was made possible by a critical combination: a bespoke organisation, proven technical expertise, and close collaboration between Shiseido, JLL, Tétris, the landlord and the design agency. Faced with tight deadlines and exacting standards, the teams turned constraints into opportunities for performance.
This project perfectly illustrates Tétris’s ability to manage complex office projects—encompassing design, bespoke manufacturing, move management and reuse—delivering headquarters of high added value that embody the client’s cultural identity.
Tight deadlines, strong constraints, premium expectations?
Just like for Shiseido, we bring together all our expertise to deliver high-value projects—on time and to the quality levels expected.
Client testimonial
Avec ce nouveau siège, Shiseido EMEA franchit une étape déterminante dans l’expression de son identité et de son ambition. Nous avons voulu créer bien plus qu’un lieu de travail : un environnement qui reflète notre héritage japonais, célèbre notre créativité et favorise de nouvelles façons de collaborer. Aux côtés de JLL, Tétris et Gensler, nous avons imaginé un espace où l’Omotenashi – notre sens profond de l’attention à l’autre – se traduit dans chaque détail, pour offrir à nos équipes un cadre harmonieux, performant et tourné vers l’avenir. Ce siège est une maison commune, conçue pour inspirer nos talents, nourrir l’innovation et renforcer notre rayonnement en EMEA.
