00:02When I started looking for a flat to buy, my main requirements were to have a lot of direct
00:08natural light. I was looking especially for a flat which had an attic space that I could
00:15open up to gain in volume and light. My name is Quentin Sommerfogle. I am an architect founder
00:25of QSA in Paris. I live in this flat with my girlfriend Sarah who is a video production manager.
00:39The flat is located in an authentic neighborhood of Paris 20th arrondissement. The area used to be
00:47garden plots that became warehouses, workshops and factories over the past couple centuries
00:53with small working class housing. It remains a popular lively neighborhood with plenty of small
01:00squares and gardens. The flat was in very poor condition. Right before the flat was sold,
01:10the parquet floor was wrapped with cheap tiles and the walls had a splash of white paint.
01:18Above the ceiling was an attic space that was difficult to access, so it was kind of a mystery up
01:24there.
01:28One of my main inspiration was the beautiful Paris flat of a great friend that has been featured on
01:35the floor. The flat was never too small. I liked how he made use of the height by adding a
01:41mezzanine
01:42and his use of plywood. I also had influences from many architects I like and follow.
01:51I like simplicity, sincerity in the use of material, form and details.
01:59The flat is kind of an L-shape. The larger end had a living and bedroom with windows facing the
02:07main courtyard
02:08and the small end had a shower, bathroom and kitchen all along one wall.
02:15The design idea was to first open the space as much as possible, then to put all the functional space
02:23like the toilet, storage and bedroom into the smaller area of the flat. After removing the ceilings,
02:31the flat gained a bit of height which made it possible to add a bedroom above the bathroom.
02:40The flat is at the second floor in a charming green condominium of workers' housing built at the beginning
02:46of the 20th century. The building sits further back from the street with its own village atmosphere.
02:54It has a nice community ambiance.
03:01As you enter the flat, you are directly in the open living room and kitchen space. The door is in
03:09the
03:09corner with coat hooks to the side. It creates a small entrance along the kitchen
03:16cabinet and covered with shelves that allow open storage above the door.
03:24The living room is lightly furnished. Most of the items were salvaged or donated.
03:31There is a table from an office I used to work at 10 years ago. It has followed me ever
03:37since.
03:38I actually carried it all the way home over my head on the subway.
03:45There is an antique Mahogany cabinet that belonged to my grandfather, with drawers made from cardboard.
03:54These kinds of cabinets were commonly used in offices to file documents.
04:00At the end of the living area, there is a frame to an old door.
04:04I obtained permission to turn it to a window and I can't wait. And the sofa was donated by my
04:12older brother.
04:15The original timber floor was in very bad condition.
04:19The floor is now a solid maritime pine pocket. We added underfloor heating in this area,
04:27which is very pleasant in the winter when walking bare feet.
04:33We added wooden blinds on the outside of the windows to give a bit of shade in the summer,
04:39while not taking up space on the inside.
04:45When we removed the ceiling, we were able to put in two large skylights.
04:51The old beams on the ceiling were large and bulky, so we removed them.
04:57I had a structural engineer look at it and we were able to change them to thin metal tie rods.
05:04I painted them in yellow. It's fun, bright and contrasts well with the rest of the flat.
05:11The kitchen is made from hydro MDF panels, which have this green color. It is very durable and scratch resistant.
05:21Even though it's compact, it is a very functional kitchen.
05:26We were able to fit quite a lot in such a small space.
05:32Along with other green powder coated metallic elements in the flat,
05:36I added this backsplash to protect and brighten up the cooking area.
05:43The worktop is made of white laminates, which is durable and easy to clean.
05:49And we also added more drawers underneath the kitchen cabinet.
05:54It's the space people don't normally use.
06:01In the corridor, the kitchen unit continues along the curved shape of the stairwell,
06:07providing storage for food, plates, bowls and other kitchen items.
06:13It also acts as a division between the private areas and the living areas.
06:20And we also added to the kitchen cabinet.
06:20At the back, there is a hidden electrical cupboard and a bookshelf.
06:27We wanted to have all of the functional elements in the small end of the flat.
06:33Behind the wooden wall, there is a hidden toilet.
06:36Metal shelves were added above the toilet for extra storage without taking up floor space.
06:46All of the functions were placed along the birch plywood wall, which also becomes the stairs to the sleeping area.
06:54I chose birch plywood due to its grain pattern and light shade, which helps make the bathroom brighter.
07:03I wanted every centimeter in this space to count.
07:09I really liked that the corridor is not only a circulation space, but is used a lot to access the
07:15different parts and storage.
07:18Along the birch plywood wall, which also doubles as the staircase, there is storage for clothes and other household items.
07:28We also hid a hot water tank behind one of these doors.
07:35The wall is fitted with many small round white handles, which can be found throughout the flat,
07:42like in the kitchen, and even as hooks for coats in the entrance.
07:48At the end of the bathroom is a spacious shower.
07:52A glass panel in a metal frame is fixed above the shower to limit the spread of water vapor into
07:59the rest of the room.
08:02A beige porcelain stoneware tiles in a 2x2 cm grid was used to the floor and shower walls.
08:10We added underfloor heating in this area, which is very pleasant in the winter when walking bare feet.
08:20Above the bathroom is the sleeping area.
08:24I designed a steep but effective staircase to climb up to the mezzanine bed.
08:31It was very important for us to be able to fit the mezzanine bedroom into this small functional space
08:38in order to create two separate living and sleeping areas in the flat.
08:43The voids around the beams create additional storage space for books, plants and bedside items.
08:51The mezzanine area is like a cocoon, away from the rest of the flat.
08:58Small spaces are very present in our dense cities.
09:03The work of renovating these small-scale spaces contributes to sustainable development,
09:10heritage conservation, and improving the quality of urban life.
09:26The work of renovating these small spaces are very important.
09:28The work of the restoration of the water is as good as the floor is the water is the water
09:28is the water.
09:31The natural areas are the water.
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