In a 1930 building designed by architects Jean Ginsberg and François Heep, this apartment needed to be optimized. Reinterpreted by architect Baptiste Legué, the space now boasts a modernist cachet.

Objective

Restore the radiance of a 1930s apartment by bringing in light and circulation.

Line of conduct

Creating a soft, luminous atmosphere was the common thread running through this renovation. Inviting light into every room to highlight mineral materials such as terrazzo and waxed concrete.

Implementation

The transformation of the apartment was radical: all partitions were removed, leaving only the structural elements in place. The floors underwent a complete overhaul to accommodate a mix of terrazzo and carpet. A set of furniture was carefully custom-designed and discreetly integrated into the existing environment. This approach re-established simple volumes and perfectly harmonized the apartment’s overall aesthetic.

A modernist setting that plays on contrasts.

  • SHARE

In Boulogne, 125 m2 of open-plan offices have been given a new purpose: that of a tailor-made home.

Target

For this new space created from scratch, the objective was to give pride of place to perspectives and to open up. To close off rooms without appearing to do so, and to recreate each space in a flat.

Course of action

The desire to bring warmth to this industrial space dictates the use of oak as a guiding line throughout the flat. A real trompe-l’oeil that hides the classic office codes, hides the ducts, and groups the water rooms.

Achievement

The decompartmentalisation of the spaces to keep the loft spirit is underlined by the made-to-measure joinery which draws the different living spaces. Oak dresses the edges of the bay windows, creating a frame, and is found as a metaphor on the bathroom cabinet. A red staircase in folded metal created by the designer Axel Chay provides access to the terrace. The office area is delimited by the wall shelves which overflow onto the living space, like a fusion of spaces.

The only water column, a real constraint of the flat, obliged to gather each water room in the same neuralgic point. A camouflaged cube was then created behind the bookcase, opening through a back door onto a bathroom with toilet. The kitchen is juxtaposed with this on the one hand and the bathroom of the master bedroom on the other. The Leicht kitchen has a stone worktop and a grey-green waxed concrete floor that highlights the colour chosen for the cube, the centerpiece of this renovation.

The ceiling rails were retained, while the original parquet floor was sanded and glazed while retaining its natural colour. The two structural posts that weighed down the space are now adorned with striated wood, allowing them to disappear throughout the living area.

A real trompe-l'oeil that hides the classic codes of the office.

  • Crédits photosGabrielle Voinot
  • SHARE

Before…

Architecture of the 30s, this house has been, years after years, adapted to the tastes and use of its various owners.

Target

Bring a new balance between the rooms, more contemporary with a real bias. Adapt the spaces to the new owners’ lifestyle by offering a certain fluidity in the circulation within the house.

Course of action

Definition of a strong color palette for the entire first floor. Renovation of the 3 floors in a graphic and warm spirit. Modification of the layout of the floors, without altering the original architecture of the house.

Achievement

New custom woodwork was installed, allowing for plenty of storage space and a bench seat in the entrance area. The layout of the first floor was modified with a new opening between the dining room and the kitchen – with an IPN installation – offering a beautiful open and friendly space. On the first floor, the spaces have been decompartmentalized to create a beautiful master suite with double access to the bathroom and shower. A children’s bedroom with an adjoining office and bathroom provides a dedicated space for each member of the family. Finally, on the top floor, a dressing room, a guest room and an office have been installed.

A renovation with clean and graphic lines.

LE QUARTIER

Private: Saint-Giniez

This area is one of the most sought-after neighborhoods in the city.
  • SHARE

L’ avant …

In the heart of an old Marseille neighborhood, a fisherman’s house with a whitewashed facade has been given a new lease on life after an in-depth renovation. The project was developed around a monumental staircase reminiscent of Valentine Schlegel, taking over each level up to the roof terrace where an idyllic landscape is revealed.

Target

To circulate easily, to benefit from the freshness and to invest the lowest levels, in garden level.

Course of action

Beginning with the roof and extending to the patio, the “root” of the house, the four levels have each undergone a transformation with a common thread: the Mediterranean.

Achievement

Formes organiques et brutes, patines naturelles, murs arrondis et garde-corps maçonnés sont les témoins de techniques méditerranéennes que la rénovation, fidèle, a mis en exergue et magnifiés. Les menuiseries sur mesure en chêne massif, réalisées par Raboniak, soulignent l’ensemble, précis et intemporel. Les différents espaces entremêlés signent un art de vivre méditerranéen. Le rez-de-chaussée décloisonné et ouvert sur le patio accueille une grande bibliothèque et, à part, la suite parentale immaculée. L’espace de vie fait la transition au premier étage entre les deux espaces nuit bien distincts. A l’abri des regards, le toit-terrasse cache une cuisine et un salon d’été à ciel ouvert, dépaysant. Le blanc est à l’honneur dans la maison. Un style contemporain affiché avec des références au design des années 50 – 60, répond au style vernaculaire. Charlotte Juillard, Eames, Paola Navone et Michel Ducaroy habitent l’intérieur. Lise Prévot, Martin Parr et Alexandre Benjamin Navet, quant à eux, les murs. Les luminaires CVL ponctuent le tout. Il s’en dégage une certaine harmonie, rythmée de touches de velours bleu nuit et de lin blanc.

An open-air cocoon, undeniably reminiscent of Greece.

LE QUARTIER

Mazargues

A real village in the city, it has kept this spirit around its shopping streets.
  • Crédits photosEdwige Lamy
  • SHARE

L’ avant …