The Marine Security Guard Residence is a discreet residential building for active-duty Marines supporting the diplomatic mission of the United States in Paris. Located in the vicinity of the embassy and the Residence of the U.S. Ambassador, the project occupies a site of exceptional cultural and political sensitivity—nestled within an historic garden landscape along the Champs-Élysées and adjacent to the Élysée Palace, Grand Palais, and Petit Palais. The design, developed for the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, balances the operational requirements of a secure diplomatic facility with the cultural heritage of its context.

The building transforms an existing surface parking lot into a primarily single-story structure that remains nearly invisible from the street and entirely imperceptible from the surrounding landmarks. The modest scale of the massing and its intimate relationship with the landscape create an elegant transition between the project, the larger volumes of neighboring buildings to the west, and the gardens to the east. Extensively planted roofs strengthen the building’s integration with its surroundings, rendering the facility as an extension of the garden rather than an interruption of it.

The facility includes fourteen housing units, a gym, a shared kitchen, and communal gathering spaces organized to maintain privacy for the occupants. Residential units are positioned toward the rear of the site, while common areas occupy the zone closer to the street entrance. At the center of the plan, a Representational Space serves as the main living room for the Marines and, in support of the diplomatic mission, accommodates guests for scheduled group events.

Living areas are organized around central courtyards that admit daylight and establish direct connections to outdoor space. Glazed openings bring diffuse light from the garden courtyards into the common areas, while the scale, volume, and materials of the project reflect the character of a pavilion within a garden—creating secluded, restful interiors that open to the landscape at every opportunity.