Residential building in the Chartrons district

Project description

Renovation of an 18th-century building

The challenge of the project was to create a new living space in the upper section of a Bordeaux building located on the Quai des Chartrons. The project involves renovating the dilapidated floor at the third level (R+3), which had been a “pigeon’s refuge” for many years, and converting the attic to create new living areas and an outdoor space. These floors presented the typical characteristics of an old building: outdated heating system, non-existent thermal and acoustic insulation, interior layout with partitions that resulted in a lack of light and natural ventilation in the center of the apartment and in the attic, and the absence of outdoor space.

The project was guided by the desire to simultaneously connect and perceive a large spatial continuum across two levels: the river to the east, the inner courtyard, the rooftops of the city to the west, and a new element, a “terrace-garden,” embedded in the volume of the attic at the rear of the building. To achieve this, we designed an interior layout with the flexibility to be completely open, yet capable of being closed off to create intimate subspaces as needed. The living space extends across the third level, opening up generously to the river, and wraps around the inner courtyard.

The technical functions (toilets, laundry, ducts) were grouped in the center of the floor in an independent box, maintaining a wide passage on one side that provides access to the box, while the other side traverses the kitchen area. The sleeping areas are located in the attic on the river side, with two large windows opening onto the new “terrace-garden” nestled in the volume of the former attic space on the warehouse side. The spatial continuity between the two levels of the apartment is emphasized by the addition of a staircase that starts in the living area, cuts through the existing cornice, and rises above the technical box. It leads to a large, light-filled space, thanks to the installation of a skylight that precisely matches the void created.

The “terrace-garden” is also a key element that connects the different parts of the apartment. It can be accessed from the sleeping area, but also from the living space on the third level (R+3) via a small staircase designed in continuity with the stairwell landings of the building, tucked behind the stone facade on the west side. Beyond adding an outdoor space, the location of the “roof garden” gives this apartment a relationship to the city that is entirely different. The apartment evolves from its original single-facing configuration towards the river to open up to a broader, more complex, and heterogeneous urban landscape, blending the rooftops of the historic Chartrons district, the housing blocks of the Grand Parc area, and the neighborhoods beyond the boulevard ring.