“Our main intention in this project was to highlight the unique identity of the historic building, through a contemporary approach to the overall experience of space. In order to achieve this purpose, it was necessary to restore partially architectural elements, significantly damaged, while interior materials, hues and textures had to be combined with attention.
The houses of the Ouziel district bear notable interior characteristics such as great height, wooden paneled doors with frames elaborated in decorative strips and oblong windows. Cornice belts decorate the upper zone of the walls and plaster rosettes with floral themes bejewel the ceiling’s centre. These finish details are perhaps the most important and indicate an era of high craftsmanship.
The floor plan of the houses has a simple organization. Around the central space of the entrance, four other spaces are articulated; the kitchen, the living room and the two bedrooms. As for the layout of the floor plan, the spaces and the uses have been maintained in significant level since they suited our customer’s residential needs.
All of the above elements in combination with the client’s high aesthetic perception shape a fine initial canvas to create on. The historical building has already its own aesthetic identity strongly present, but at the same time additional elements coexist, such as furniture and objects from various eras. Therefore, there is a rich set that primarily bears the personal flair of the customer, but also our own design concern, to integrate all this into a consistent, aesthetically pleasing result.
These houses have a simple and beautiful courtyard, which is also the transitional filter from the public environment to the private space. In our opinion, this element is of great value for the experiential perception of space. The height level of the yard varies among the Ouziel houses. In the case of our project, the sense of proximity to the courtyard is intense and immediate. The level difference is only two steps. Additionally, the large windows enhance the perception of the exterior’s proximity, offering to the user more than a simple visual contact with the outside view.”
