Type de biens: Flat

This duplex apartment in the heart of the Antiquaires district, is representative of a classic 18th century architecture. It is also a real jewel of historical heritage, perfectly preserved, which was waiting to be revitalised with a more contemporary touch. Revamped by the interior designer Chrystel Laporte, it is the result of a bold gamble: to bring a modern touch to an upper middle-class setting and turn it into a welcoming family flat.

Target

Transforming a flat occupied by a couple into a family flat, making the spaces more functional and personalised, creating a large family kitchen, access to the unused terrace, creating a new bathroom upstairs.

Course of action

To preserve the charm while modernizing; to bring lightness despite sometimes, little bit loaded elements; to emphasize what makes the flat unique; to be graphic and surprising by creating contrast.

Achievement

We simplified the existing ornamentation by working with whites and light to enhance it. We renovated the beautiful wood floors, with a more contemporary matt finish. We added more contemporary elements, such as the striated glass on the doors and cement tiles, but still respectful of the style of the architecture. To access the terrace, we designed an arty staircase, in a bright color responding to the immaculate white kitchen. To create contrast, was placed the ultra-contemporary kitchen directly on inlaid parquet, and the light and airy lighting fixtures were chosen to soften the heavy ceiling. We rekindle the terrace with masonry benches, cactus, and white walls, giving to it a nice Mediterranean feel.

A beautiful re-birth!

L'ARCHITECTE TRAVIATA

  • Crédits photosGabrielle Voinot
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Before…

In the heart of Mazargues, the exterior of this apartment was already structured by its shape but never really invested. A challenge in only 50 m2!

Target

The exterior of this apartment, located close to the hills of Marseille, was already structured by its shape but never invested. It consisted of a wooden terrace that covered the entire space, and on the side, an outdoor shower/mini pool to cool off in the summer. It was essential for the clients to protect themselves from the opposite side of the house, to occupy this exterior as a real additional living room. A challenge in only 50m².

Course of action

Vegetate the whole space, but also create real distinct living spaces.

Achievement

The shower/mini pool area has been rethought in the choice of materials, a square blue Onyx mosaic has been put in place, to allow this element visible from the living room, to be an “object” highlighted summer and winter. The low wall separating it from the terrace was widened to provide a comfortable seat on both the shower/mini pool side and the terrace side. Facing this element, a module in waxed concrete and red cedar comes to dress the wall until now unoccupied and is broken up of several elements: air conditioner cover, summer kitchen and large masonry bench. These elements allow the installation of a lounge area, to spend convivial moments from the arrival of the beautiful days.

To protect the terrace from the opposite side, the openwork red cedar and metal screens close the terrace on the hillside without depriving the owners of the green view. The colors of the landscape are also found on the terrace: shades of green/gray for the plants, Ravel pottery in white terracotta, and a planter in earth fiber. Even the choice of furniture (Fermob and Arkimueble) links the different shades of the hills and the sea that is so dear to them.

Finally, a custom-made awning protects the entire length of the terrace and custom-made seat cushions have been designed in nautical fabrics, all made to measure for optimal comfort.

A renovation that smells like summer!

LE QUARTIER

Mazargues

A real village in the city, it has kept this spirit around its shopping streets.

L'ARCHITECTE COTE OUTDOOR

paysagistes@archik.fr
  • Crédits photosGabrielle Voinot
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Before …

In the heart of the Carré d’Or hides this unsuspected garden level. Left abandoned for a long time and split in two by a wall, it was the result of a long renovation.

Target

To find a ‘real garden’ and to be able to embrace the space in its entirety from the house.

Course of action

Structuring the space into two distinct functional areas: a garden area and a parking area. The two spaces being on two different levels.

Achievement

In the garden area, the existing plants have been deliberately preserved and enhanced. The existing plant palette was already diversified and interesting: apricot tree, laurel, olive tree, medlar tree, almond tree, etc. The beds were simply restructured with perennials and lower plants (agaves, stipa, creeping rosemary, thyme, gaura, etc.) and delimited by corten steel, in order to highlight them. The lighting of these beds has also been designed to give perspective to the garden and verticality to the existing limestone walls. The central space is grassed, hosting a beautiful tree with light and evergreen foliage (false pepper tree). It also allows to reduce the vis-à-vis from the upper floors of the building. All around, a large terrace in exotic wood offers various living spaces: garden furniture, dining area, etc.

The difference in level with the parking space is managed by a wooden step in the extension of the terrace and in the almost total width of the garden. In order not to have a continuous view of the bottom of the garden, we have created a white concrete screen made to measure, with an openwork pattern, reminiscent of those already present on the ironwork in place. This element becomes the masterpiece of this garden.

A true haven of peace in the heart of downtown Marseille!

LE QUARTIER

Périer – Delibes

An extension of the very chic Carré d'Or, Périer is one of the most sought-after neighborhoods...

L'ARCHITECTE COTE OUTDOOR

paysagistes@archik.fr
  • Crédits photosElodie Wehrlen
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Before …

Renovation of a typical apartment of the 60s. Bright, located on a whole floor at the corner of 2 streets, it originally had 3 bedrooms, a shower room, a bathroom and a kitchen. Bought by a couple, one bedroom was removed to create instead a beautiful living space.

Target

To give character to an apartment that didn’t have much. Favouring a large living space, very luminous, where the various pieces of furniture of the owners, keen on design of the 50s and 60s, will be highlighted. Renovate the whole, in its juice, with short perspectives, and with dark and not very functional rooms of water.

Course of action

Destructure to restructure. Open up the spaces as much as possible, but restructure them by using cross-cutting woodwork, giving onto both the hallway and the living room for example, or onto the hallway and the kitchen. Re-open and lengthen the perspectives, bet on white (the majority of the woodwork) and on pretty materials with soft, subtle tones: light terrazzo for the kitchen, slightly marbled tiles for the shower room, matt white tiles, almost chalky for the large bathroom…

Achievement

Except for the 2 bedrooms and bathrooms, all the partitions have been removed. For the most part, they were replaced by custom-made woodwork. For example, the wall of the corridor was replaced by a large bookcase, located in exactly the same place, but which lets the light pass. A lot of work was done on the parquet floor, which was entirely renovated and completely redone in some rooms where there was none left. The kitchen was enlarged to the maximum, with the same principle of “crossing” furniture giving on the corridor. The two bedrooms were optimized by creating custom dressings at the head of the bed. A very graphic joinery work marks the entrance, and gives a strong personality, in contrast to the rest of the essentially white joinery.

A renovation that gives pride of place to materials and light.

LE QUARTIER

Périer – Delibes

An extension of the very chic Carré d'Or, Périer is one of the most sought-after neighborhoods...

L'ARCHITECTE Un jour d’avril

architectes@archik.fr
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Before …

In a 1930s building, this apartment with beautiful art-deco rosettes required a total rehabilitation.

Target

This apartment benefits from significant assets: beautiful volumes, a pleasant distribution, a crossing light. In its original state, the toilets were on the balcony, the kitchen was independent, the small living room was no longer functional, the living room lacked light. The objective is to connect the living rooms and give them back meaning, to write the history of the new occupants while respecting the place.

Course of action

To bring coherence to the different spaces, while proposing a real decorative bias.

Achievement

The living room becomes an office and has been opened on the corridor, thanks to a set of light wood claustras. The corridor, original by its U shape is highlighted by a game of color. The partition between the kitchen and the living room is transformed into a light wood skylight, thus bringing light and finally connecting the two spaces. Storage units have been specially designed for the office and the parents’ bedroom, and particular attention has been paid to the choice of materials in the kitchen and bathroom.

A gentle renovation, where life is good!

LE QUARTIER

Private: Cinq Avenues

Away from the Old Port, beyond the Canebière, is the Cinq Avenues neighborhood.

L'ARCHITECTE Un jour d’avril

architectes@archik.fr
  • Crédits photosChrystel Laporte
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Before …

Without fundamentally modifying the volumes of the apartment, the work consisted above all in a refreshment in all points of view (kitchen, painting, parquet floor, joineries), in order to offer to the purchasers an apartment which resembles them: an apartment with character, at the same time eclectic and audacious.

Target

To modernize an apartment in the Cité Radieuse while preserving its soul, drawing on the work of Le Corbusier.

Course of action

To provide a setting for the numerous works of art and designer furniture of the owners, great art lovers.

Achievement

The layout has been completely redesigned to highlight and stage the couple’s works. The kitchen has been completely redesigned to be more suitable in terms of functionality, while at the same time redoing some of Le Corbusier’s and Charlotte Perriand’s characteristic kitchen elements (high cupboards, reminder of the wooden handles on the kitchen fronts, etc.).
The range of colors used in the apartment is also directly inspired by the range of paint that Le Corbusier used in Bordeaux for the Cité Frugès, whether for the kitchen, or for certain volumes that have been repainted in pink, ivory white, almond green and red.

A precise renovation offering the best possible showcase for pieces and works of art!

LE QUARTIER

Sainte-Anne

Sainte-Anne is a typical residential area of the "city of 111 villages".

L'ARCHITECTE ÉCLECTISME CORBUSÉEN

  • Crédits photosOlivier Amsellem
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