A Philippe Starck-designed Paris hotel in a former postal-sorting centre: bold 16th-arrondissement style, a 23-metre pool and a rooftop vegetable garden.

Brach is what happens when a 1970s postal-sorting centre is handed to Philippe Starck. In 2018, the Evok Collection invited the designer to reinvent the building in Paris’s 16th arrondissement, and the result is sleek, sophisticated and unmistakably his.

The vibe is bold and effortlessly stylish, drawing on 1930s industrial lines, Bauhaus discipline, and a streak of Dada wit and Surrealist whimsy. Marble, metal and leather meet a serious collection of art; the rooms and suites carry soaring ceilings and thoughtful touches (French novels, books, flower arrangements) alongside unexpected ones, from African masks to surrealist photographs. Small wonder it draws some of the city’s most design-literate residents.

The wellness offering is generous. There is a 23-metre pool with a plunge pool alongside, plus a whirlpool, steam room, sauna and a gym with a sports club running classes you can join.

What lifts Brach above pure style is the rooftop. Above the city, a terrace shares space with a substantial vegetable garden and a trio of resident hens, with produce and eggs feeding back into the kitchens below. It is a quietly considered touch in a hotel that could have rested on its looks.

Dining runs to Mediterranean sharing plates and a strong cocktail list, with a pastry shop overseen by acclaimed chef Yann Brys.

For a design-savvy traveller in Paris, Brach is a confident recommendation. Book a high-ceilinged room, and make time for the rooftop garden.