“I acquired this property in 2019; until then, the entire building had been used for rental purposes. Its rooms were irregularly shaped, separated by a central hallway, and both the layout and the materials were outdated: the fixtures and fittings had seen better days, and the white tiles were completely uninspiring,” explains Luc Pfister, founder of the architecture firm that bears his name. Yet, that laundry list of flaws didn’t discourage the thirty-something when it came to his first real estate purchase.
The property, located on the second floor of a small co-owned building dating from the 1930s, had many surprise assets: dual exposure for extra brightness, a balcony with an unobstructed view, and, most importantly, simple partitions that could all be knocked down: “with the partitions gone, I was left with a blank canvas,” confirms Luc. With a lot of elbow grease and numerous trips to the dump, the space was cleared of its many flaws, like its uneven false ceilings and ugly glass fiber wall coverings, revealing its hidden potential. Although the splendid moldings were too damaged to be preserved, the original parquet flooring (hidden under a thick layer of concrete in the kitchen and bathroom) was ultimately saved.
Luc started from scratch to better adapt to the inhabitants’ lifestyle: “My partner is a flight attendant,” he explains, “with a highly variable schedule and constantly changing hours. It was essential to take this major difference between our two lifestyles into account, despite the limited size of the apartment.” After soundproofing the ceilings, the architect designed a central black module that would set the tone for the space. The four-room apartment was redesigned into two, with the bedroom moved to the former kitchen and the living room enlarged accordingly. The bathroom also gained a little extra space by encroaching on the former hallway, which was removed. “This new layout highlights the beautiful views outside, right from the front door. Out of personal interest and a desire to keep costs down, I took on most of the work myself, with the help of my family and friends.”
“What if true luxury was … space?” asked a famous Renault advertisement from the 1990s. Thirty years later, its implicit answer deserves to be rephrased. Because in 2025, luxury is above all about living in total freedom, free from all constraints. In other words, the life you have chosen for yourself. And Luc’s apartment proves that even on a limited budget, this ideal remains within reach.
