A big LITTLE nest
It’s in the duality between a small space and large glass surfaces that this project was born.
This small apartment on two levels is located in a stone building, in the heart of the historical centre of Bordeaux. The challenge of this rehabilitation was to design a small space in which all the functions of a large space would be present.
LIGHT AND BRIGHT
The main advantage is the apartment’s brightness due to the ten windows that enable it to benefit from all orientations (North, South, East, West), giving it a warm atmosphere. A clear and sober wood was used as the main material, adding strength to the ambiance. It was for this reason, too, that the chestnut floors were kept and reworked to reveal their subtle golden colour. The combination of white walls and window frames with the light shades on all surfaces, helped to visually expand the space.
OPTIMISATION OF SPACE
The constraint of restricted space guided the design team towards solutions, inducing new forms of appropriate space for the users. This is realised by the creation of different levels used to sit, lie down, work, eat, read etc. To achieve this, they built two parallel bands. The first, developed along the wall, consists of a library, with a podium that one can climb on to access the library. The podium can be put away for access to the dining room table and to the reading room. Under the podium, there are plenty of concealed storage compartments which are easily accessible as they are on castors.
The reading room, consisting mainly of small bands of mattress placed on the podium, gives life to the concept of a real cocoon, calling for relaxation. Below, there is an extra office, including all necessary storage, which provides a pleasant, naturally lit workspace. Should guests arrive, the office can quickly be closed up, so that they don’t even suspect it’s there.
The second band built on the opposite wall, comprises the laundry, kitchen and stairs. The laundry room is a small room with a high ceiling. It was invested throughout its volume. On one of the walls there is storage space and a retractable line for hanging the washing.
The kitchen is a peninsula which is accessible from all sides. All appliances are hidden to make this preparation area as discreet as possible. Similarly, the stairway has plenty of storage. Upstairs, the partition becomes a real piece of furniture, creating the space of the room. Special doors, in the room and toilet, create the illusion of a continuous wall.
The back of the toilet wall emerges as a wood ribbon from the ground and hides the cistern.
One of features of the bathroom is the window in the shower, flooding this small space with light and giving it a special atmosphere.
Everything has been thought of and designed in detail, in order to every things has its place and don’t come clutter free space. The result is a real place of relaxation, where all spaces are to invest: we can as well lie down on the podium in the living room as above the kitchen…
