Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: A Bold and Graphic Design for a Family Home in Paris
A creative couple takes original design above and beyond for their family home in Paris
‘It was purely by accident that I heard about this 3,250 sq ft piece of land in the heart of Paris. It was like a dream come true,’ explains architect Emmanuel Thirard, who bought the property in 2006 despite the obvious constraints of location and a sloping site.
‘The construction took place in two phases to meet the busy schedules of the contractors, and we were able to move in in September 2009,’ says Emmanuel. The originality of the house can be seen straight away from the external facade. Its ultra-graphic design and its well-thought-out layout are a little surprising at first. ‘My wife is a painter,’ says Emmanuel, ‘so it was necessary to include an art studio in the blueprints along with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a sitting room and a kitchen. We designed the 215 sq ft studio first and worked everything around it.’ He says that the best way to get your head around the space is to imagine a square (the studio) and then imagine a house unfolding around it.
‘The construction took place in two phases to meet the busy schedules of the contractors, and we were able to move in in September 2009,’ says Emmanuel. The originality of the house can be seen straight away from the external facade. Its ultra-graphic design and its well-thought-out layout are a little surprising at first. ‘My wife is a painter,’ says Emmanuel, ‘so it was necessary to include an art studio in the blueprints along with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a sitting room and a kitchen. We designed the 215 sq ft studio first and worked everything around it.’ He says that the best way to get your head around the space is to imagine a square (the studio) and then imagine a house unfolding around it.
Above you can see what the site used to look like. Located close to the Père-Lachaise cemetery, this old vegetable plot dating back to the 19th century was landlocked by the surrounding urban environment.
In addition, the plot was on a 13 ft slope, which isn’t appealing to someone looking to build on this land. Nevertheless, Emmanuel was able to see the full potential of the site, and imagined a contemporary house with a garden in the heart of the city.
Despite the challenges, Emmanuel found a way to make the most of the site and built a resolutely contemporary home that’s respectful of its environment. He needed to find a way around access constraints in order to enable the workers to bring in (and assemble) all the required elements for the construction. ‘The house is made of rot-proof cement and wood panels which interlock into the different frames. These are heavy elements, but can be transported by two men,’ he explains.
‘I’m not a fan of mixing dining and sitting areas in the same room. I wanted a Province-style kitchen,’ explains Emmanuel. The floor is the same throughout the house and features tinted screeds. ‘Generally, I try to always choose mineral floors. They are more hygienic and low maintenance, and also extremely practical and a lot less expensive,’ he explains.
‘As for the garden, I sought the help of plant nursery consultant Nicolas Scheid. He does all the gardens in my different projects. He knows his craft as well as he knows his plants,’ says Emmanuel.
There is no disruption between the interior and exterior surfaces. ‘This idea of continuity is present in all of my work. In my opinion, it is one of the founding principles of architecture,’ he explains.
The kitchen and living room are on different levels, which separates them nicely. The wood veneer terrace adjoins the kitchen floor, giving it the illusion of being outside.
This black staircase connects the two areas, and is a ‘connector for the entire house,’ says Emmanuel.
The living area opens out to both the front yard and back garden. It’s very sunny thanks to the golden interior wall. ‘It’s marvellous and accessible to all,’ says Emmanuel.
See 10 ways to go for gold in 2015
See 10 ways to go for gold in 2015
The studio was the trigger for the whole project, explains the architect. It’s located on the first floor and is the backbone of the building. Large windows allow the natural light to pour into the room, important for the artist to be able to see her work and choose her colours carefully.
A first concrete bloc of stairs leads to a second one, this time made of suspended metal. ‘This was a first for me,’ says Emmanuel. The staircase separates the playroom from the living room. The latter borders the kitchen at one end, and the front garden at the other.
The staircase is 3mm-thick and made of crude steel. It is suspended and links the top two floors of the house to the living area on the ground floor. Each landing has a great view.
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Check out ways to make your stairs special
The railings are also made of crude steel.
The architect added multiple glass openings in both the roof and the front of the house. ‘There was a strong need to bring in as much light as possible into the house. Also, the art studio needed to be connected to the outside world, to the public,’ he explains.
The house is somewhat hidden, accessed via this path that leads from the street. One can already get a glimpse of the shining front wall.
There’s another entrance on the first floor of the building, accessed via a ramp from the front garden.
‘The neighbours requested that the exterior wall be a light colour,’ says Emmanuel, so he covered the North-facing wall with a golden coating. ‘In the morning, the reflection of the sun turns it into a bright spotlight.’
In the evening, the house is almost like a piece of art itself. ‘Of course, the first goal is to create the perfect home. But, modern architecture has also made it possible to live in a sculpture… using art to transcend our habitat,’ he says.
TELL US…
What do you make of this innovative Parisian home? Tell us what you like about it in the Comments below.
TELL US…
What do you make of this innovative Parisian home? Tell us what you like about it in the Comments below.
Who lives here Architect Emmanuel Thirard, his wife and two children
Location Paris
Construction date 2009
Size 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and an art studio, along with a 3,230 sq ft piece of land
Architect Emmanuel Thirard of Comme Quoi Architecture
That is interesting The space used to be used as a vegetable garden
The front and back of the house are made of cement and wood panels. To complete the look, they were stained with different colours. ‘We also treated the edges to make them waterproof,’ says Emmanuel. The red-varnished panels are very graphic and stand out from the rest of the building. The back of the house faces south and the architect chose a relaxed urban blue/grey colour.