32 Bagnolet: A Radical Duplex Metamorphosis
In Bagnolet, two vertically stacked apartments within a 2000s building have been transformed into a single duplex. The project strips interiors to raw essentials, making structural engineering legible. A massive concrete beam cuts diagonally across the plan, supporting a new slab opening and leaving a triangular ceiling void exposed. New pale aggregate concrete contrasts with the dark original slab, marking the construction timeline. The beam continues uninterrupted through lower-level walls. A vibrant yellow volume envelops the staircase, anchoring vertical circulation. A dropped blue ceiling organizes utilitarian zones on the main floor. Kitchen surfaces are crafted from polyethylene, the plastic used for professional cutting boards, with a yellow hue borrowed from food safety codes for poultry preparation. The design uses color as an active force producing space.
Key facts
- Two vertically stacked apartments in a 2000s building were combined into a single duplex.
- The project is located in Bagnolet.
- A massive concrete beam cuts diagonally across the plan to support a new slab opening.
- A bold triangular opening in the ceiling is left exposed.
- New pale white aggregate concrete contrasts with the dark weathered original slab.
- The concrete beam pierces through walls on the lower level (bedroom, corridor, bathroom).
- A vibrant yellow volume envelops the staircase, anchoring vertical circulation.
- A dropped blue ceiling organizes the entryway, kitchen, and bathroom on the main floor.
- Kitchen surfaces are made from polyethylene, the plastic used for professional cutting boards.
- The yellow hue is borrowed from commercial food safety codes for poultry preparation.
Entities
Artists
- Coralie Gruit
Locations
- Bagnolet
- France
- Paris
- New York