A magazine dedicated to compact interiors

Laurent’s duplex with a modernist touch 72 m² in Paris’ 13th arrondissement 72 m² Paris, France Industrial Retro-contemporary Retro-minimalism Two-storey Alexandre Deshayes

This Home Tour is from Sloft Edition 02.

Imagine a small village in the heart of the city center... At the foot of the sloping Butte-aux-Cailles, the Peupliers neighbourhood feels like anywhere but Paris. With rows of mismatched houses, cobbled streets and blooming court-yards, there’s certainly a timeless feel about the place. And it’s here that Laurent, a womenswear creative manager for a Parisian fashion house, found his ideal home.

"I knew very little of 13^th arrondissement, even less so of this neighborhood! I immediately fell for its diverse population, as well as the huge 1970s tower blocks and the old, pastel-toned workers’ houses, and the large avenues and the unobstructed views. The city feels spacious, unlike where I used to live in the 9th." Laurent discovered this dual-aspect apartment in a wholly unusual building designed by the architect Henri-Pierre Maillard, when it went on sale following the death of its previous owner, who bought it off-plan in 1979. " The first time I visited, I was immediately captivated by the large vertical glazing in the living room, the textures of the ceilings and concrete pillars, plus the layout spread out over three floors. I was surprised to find a building like this in Paris...and even more so to be able to call it my home!"

"A thread of minimalism and functionality..." Alexandre Deshayes is a friend of a friend who was tasked with renovating the apartment and enhancing and celebrating its original spirit. "We started by swapping photos and that’s how we got to know one another better, and found our common ground when it came to aesthetics," explains the architect. "From there emerged a central theme for the whole project, centered around minimalism, functionality, geometric lines and the 10 x 10-centimeter framework. Basically, it’s the spirit of modernism!" In this modest, somewhat labyrinthine volume, the aim was also to build numerous vantage points, play with perspectives and emphasize verticality, to create a wealth of spaces for a unique living experience that’s like a leap through time.