A magazine dedicated to compact interiors

One can dream for years on end about living in a specific neighborhood or street. One can also find oneself transplanted into one of the most sought-after areas of the capital—in this case, the upper part of Paris’s 9th arrondissement—almost by chance.

 

Aurélien Duny, founder of Duny Architecture, acknowledges this paradox: “we didn’t have a preferred location for our first purchase. It was the apartment that caught our eye: originally a collection of studios, all of which were in very poor condition. I immediately envisioned it as a wonderful playground.” . ”

 

The ensemble’s double exposure stood out as a major advantage for the thirty-something architect, and the overhanging attic space offered the opportunity to gain even more height: “everything was in place to create a beautiful two-bedroom apartment. The resulting property is primarily south-facing, so I wanted the materials—waxed concrete, lime plaster, exposed stone—to reflect that”. Aurélien’s vision for the renovation was equal parts aesthetic statement and model of practicality: “the idea was to incorporate all the necessary functions into a relatively small interior, especially since I work from home. That’s why we created an office, separated from the kitchen by a glazed partition.” And overlooked as it is by a guest bedroom on the mezzanine, it could be converted into a child’s bedroom if necessary.