arrondissement: Marseille 7th

This contemporary house is ideally located below the Bonne-Mère, on the heights of the 7th arrondissement of Marseille. With its precise horizontal architecture, this property has benefited from a beautiful illumination, revealed thanks to an ambitious approach.

Target

To completely rethink the decoration and layout of an architect’s house with an austere resonance. To change the location of the kitchen and give the whole a warmer vibe, more in line with the expectations of its owners.

Course of action

Reconnect the house to its environment and its exceptional location by accentuating the inside/outside effect. Use noble materials to give the house a unique character, where the luxury and elegance of clean lines would be the guiding principle.

Achievement

From the entrance, it was necessary to announce the change with a strong gesture, which brings warmth and life. A 6-metre-high steel structure was designed, around which tropical vegetation unfolds. The back wall of this majestic stairwell was clad in a noble wood, creating a chic and coherent picture between stone, wood, and vegetation. The master suite has been remodeled to take full advantage of the superb view.

For this first level, a cameo of pink and terracotta was chosen, echoing the tiles of the surrounding roofs.

On the main level, a play of perspectives was created by the transparency of the solid oak screens, in order to redefine the rooms. In the living room, the green wall extends onto the terrace for an inside/outside effect, with the Friuli Islands as a backdrop. The floor has been modified by applying a resin throughout, providing unity and a soft, soothing feel.

The kitchen has been moved so that it can communicate directly with the outside and once again become a convivial room, dedicated as much to entertaining as to contemplation. The cement tile patchwork wall gives it relief and picks up the colours of the whole project. The electrical equipment throughout the house was replaced with solid brass, adding a refined detail that is not to be overlooked. The furniture in each room was entirely made to measure or selected by Virginie & Rodolphe.

A precise and warm renovation, with subtle exotic details.

L'ARCHITECTE NOUVELLE MAISON STUDIO

architectes@archik.fr
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Before…

In the heart of Bompard, the exteriors and views from the top floor of this townhouse appealed to the new owners. This small enclosed garden had to be able to accommodate two distinct spaces: a terrace/summer kitchen and a garden area.

Target

Nestled in the heart of Bompard district, this small enclosed garden had to be able to accommodate two distinct spaces: a terrace / summer kitchen and a garden area.

Course of action

This exterior was worked in two planes, signified by large horizontal elements, namely the low wall and the planting spaces.

Achievement

The result is a clever play of contrasts between sharp colors and a choice of plants with characterful foliage. Strelitzia and false pepper trees are green in all seasons, responding with character to the minimalist design painted on the wall. The low wall is long and accommodates the summer kitchen and garden spaces, creating an impression of perspective and depth.

A colorful and graphic patio, beautifully highlighting the different tones of the chosen species.

L'ARCHITECTE COTE OUTDOOR

paysagistes@archik.fr
  • Crédits photosVincent Driancourt
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Before …

À la fin des années 50, l’agence de construction de logements la Savoisienne entreprend de construire un ensemble immobilier sur un terrain en triangle. L’architecte Claude Gros dessine une construction composée de deux blocs distincts et perpendiculaires, d’une hauteur de 9 étages pour l’un, et 19 pour l’autre. Le complexe familial aux airs corbuséens verra le jour en 1962. Il compte en ses murs : une église existante avant le projet, une école, une salle de congrès, une galerie commerçante, l’hôtel le Royal Saint-Georges, un restaurant panoramique, tout en ajoutant à cela 222 logements, traversants pour la plupart.

L’ensemble du programme est logé dans une nappe basse qui joue le rôle de socle aux logements, tout en s’ouvrant sur l’espace public par une façade très ouvragée et variée. La structure est constituée de poteaux et d’allèges qui rythment la paroi, laissant libres les variations de division et les superpositions de fonctions différentes. L’église, dont le cloché perce le ciel, est sertit d’une verrière signée par le maître verrier Max Ingrand.

Claude Gros

L’architecte marseillais Claude Gros (1925-2016) est un élève brillant au sein de l’atelier Castel-Hardy, et fait partie de la génération des architectes formés dans l’immédiateté de l’après-guerre.

 

Auteur d’importants programmes de logements le plus souvent privés, il reste fidèle à une architecture rationnelle, où les structures s’expriment par des tracés rigoureux. Sa sensibilité aux lieux de vies partagés lui permet de s’emparer des programmes d’unité d’habitation, tout en partageant la volonté de Le Corbusier à la même époque, de créer un art de vivre communautaire. Il met en avant la nécessité de la préfabrication, et marque le paysage marseillais avec de nombreux bâtiments, comme le Parc Kalliste (15ème) en 1958, La Granière (15ème) en 1961, Castel Roc (10ème) en 1973, La Benausse (14ème) où il réalise des panneaux architectoniques préfabriqués en trois dimensions, ou encore Le Marceau (3ème) en 1964 qui reçoit le label du Patrimoine du XXème siècle en 2006.