Gabrielle Vinson Exposes 1970s Concrete and Hourdis in Toulouse Renovation

In the Saint-Cyprien district of Toulouse, architect Gabrielle Vinson renovated a 1970s house by stripping later additions to reveal original concrete beams, brick, and hollow-tile (hourdis) ceilings. The 147-square-meter structure, rebuilt in the 1970s after a previous demolition, features durable materials chosen for permanence. Vinson treated the project as subtraction rather than replacement, keeping existing flooring, salvaging speckled veranda tiles for the bathroom, and leaving visible scars from removed partitions. A glass block wall filters street light, and an arched steel splashback is the only new object in the kitchen. Custom furniture, including kitchen units and a steel-framed desk, was built on site. The project avoids a single-era reading, respecting 1970s materials like pre-war construction. Completed in 2024, the house reflects the working-class history of Saint-Cyprien. Reclaimed materials dictated layout and design, with salvaged flooring influencing the ground floor. Vinson's approach argues for conserving uncelebrated architectural periods, leaving open the question of whether such logic applies to genuinely undistinguished structures.