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Architects: Simon Jouin architecte
- Area: 115 m²
- Year: 2024
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Photographs:Jean Baptiste Thiriet
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Lead Architects: Simon Jouin
Text description provided by the architects. The house, which recently underwent extensive renovation, is nested on Bergeyre Hill in Paris's 19th arrondissement, at the junction of two streets, in a secluded area away from the main roads. Built in 1927 by architect Lionel Nicolas, this four-story house features a complex floor plan. Set at the edge of a garden, it enjoys an exceptional view of the Parisian landscape and its most remarkable monuments.
Constructed in an Art Deco style on a reinforced concrete slab, the house combines calcium silicate and a terracotta brick facade, a millstone base, and reinforced concrete elements. Over the years, it suffered from a lack of maintenance, with visible cracks indicating structural deformations, partly caused by a tree whose roots had begun to destabilize the foundation. Initial renovations focused on reinforcing the structure, including the installation of tie rods to connect the facades to adjoining walls.
Architectural Layout - Positioning the staircase within this four-story house was crucial to achieving a successful architectural solution. The original layout, consisting of two volumes separated by a central staircase, was spatially limited and did not allow for the creation of sufficiently large enclosed areas. The choice was made early on to position the living room on the top floor, where it connects to a terrace with panoramic views. As a result, the overall layout was inverted from the conventional arrangement. The staircase, initially located at the rear of the house was moved to the entrance area, freeing up space for a service area linked to the main living space.
Project Vision - The house we renovated stands as a unique architectural object in terms of its shape, city position, and the stylistic vision of architect Lionel Nicolas. Design with modesty in mind, the renovation allows the breathtaking views, which become more spectacular with each level, to take center stage.
Although the house had been significantly transformed for comfort, each update was intended to feel as if it had always existed. This relatively frugal approach places a strong emphasis on natural materials like wood. Reclaimed parquet was used for most of the floors, and pine plywood was chosen for custom furniture to lend it a raw, elemental character. Similarly, the facades especially the ironwork on the railings, gates, and verandas, were crafted with simplicity in mind while respecting the Art Deco style of the house and the surrounding area.
