1960s apartment renovation_txt — vvv architecture urbanisme

The initial organisation of the flat reflects certain lifestyles of the time, perhaps less adapted to those of today. The non-load-bearing walls are mostly removed, freeing up the centre of the flat, be- tween two structural lines of columns and beams for a service core. It contains all the “techniques” necessary for the functioning of the flat: bathroom, shower room, kitchen furniture. To ensure the passage of the techniques, a podium is installed, raising a room by about fifteen centimeters, giving a threshold and intimacy to the children’s room. The two bedrooms, which open onto a common terrace, are both separated from the living room by the core and connected to it.

In its central position, the core allows for two lateral openings, ensuring continuity between the rooms overlooking the avenue and those overlooking the interior of the block. The balcony and terrace are thus visually linked, and the southern light penetrates more widely into the living room. The flat becomes a walk-through. Finally, the central core provides greater flexibility in the use of space, as the large bedroom located to the south-east can also be used as an extension of the living room.

The concrete beams and columns are exposed, highlighting the building’s constructive system. The large « technical furniture » is placed between these structures. The parquet flooring is laid in a single pattern to reinforce the crossing character, and alternates to mark the thresholds between the rooms on the street and those in the interior of the block.

photographs : © Severin Malaud