On the twelfth floor of a 1970s tower in Paris’s Belleville neighborhood, a 57-square-meter apartment now centers on a single glass-and-concrete volume.
Architects Mathieu Durbec of MDA and Taïna Pichon of Meraki Architecture removed walls that once blocked light and divided the space. The result is an open layout where daylight moves freely, anchored by a core that combines a home office, library, and storage while maintaining privacy.
The Balcony as a Second Living Room
A large balcony extends the living area outward, merging indoor and outdoor space. The team took down the wall between the kitchen and hallway, installing a compact island and floating shelves that serve as gathering spots. The island functions as both a prep surface and seating, while the shelves—aligned with an existing concrete beam—display books and decor, keeping sightlines clear.
Light shapes the flow more than furniture. The original bedroom, once tight and lacking storage, now includes a floor-to-ceiling mirrored wardrobe. The IKEA doors reflect balcony light, making the room feel bigger and softening the storage unit’s presence. In the laundry room, fluted glass partitions diffuse light into darker corners, balancing privacy and openness.
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A Home Office That Disappears
The apartment’s defining feature is a wood-and-glass insert within the concrete core. Inside, a built-in desk and tall shelving hold the owners’ book collection. Shelves occupy the upper walls, leaving the lower half free for a pull-out guest bed. This setup turns a workspace into a flexible guest room without crowding the floor plan.
At the entrance, a dark-stained maritime pine wardrobe and built-in bench form what Pichon describes as a “functional cocooning vestibule.” A mirror above the seat draws light from the living area, enhancing the sense of space. Hooks behind the door and storage under the bench remove the need for a separate entry closet, a small but intentional choice that keeps the area tidy.
The changes focused on making the existing space more efficient rather than expanding it. The team kept original materials—exposed concrete, warm wood, and textured glass—to preserve the apartment’s character while making it feel larger. The outcome is a home where light acts as a structural element, influencing how residents move and live.
Small apartments often seem to demand minimalism, but this project shows constraints can lead to more inventive solutions. The mirrored wardrobe, fluted glass, and floating shelves aren’t new on their own. Their strength lies in how they work together, each serving multiple roles without drawing attention. The apartment doesn’t feel like a display of design tricks; it feels like a practical home that accommodates daily life.
Light as a Building Material
The laundry room, once a tiny toilet-only space, now includes a washer and dryer behind a fluted glass partition. The textured surface scatters light from the hallway, connecting the room to the rest of the apartment.
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For the architects, light and materials function as tools, not just decorative elements. The mirrored wardrobe, for instance, redirects daylight deeper into the bedroom. The fluted glass in the laundry room ensures even functional spaces feel integrated.
Outside, the balcony serves as an extension of the living area, furnished for year-round use. The unit’s height—twelve floors up—offers an unobstructed view, unusual in a city where most homes face neighboring buildings. The design doesn’t just open the space to light; it maximizes it, using surfaces to reflect and amplify natural brightness.
The renovation preserves the past. The original concrete beam stays exposed, honoring the building’s 1970s roots. The maritime pine wardrobe, with its rich stain, adds warmth without hiding its age. Even the fluted glass, often linked to mid-century design, feels purposeful. The apartment honors its history without being constrained by it.
Similar approaches can be seen in compact urban homes where clever design transforms limited space.
