atelier NEA renovates an artist's studio and residence in paris

in the 14th arrondissement of paris, atelier NEA has completed the thoughtful refurbishment of an old artist’s studio dating back to the late 1940s. designed for an artist from oregon and her husband working in the movie industry, the project, called ‘jean moulin atelier – house’, prioritizes adaptability and combines spaces for domesticity with spaces for creativity.

images by lorenzo zandri

the compact, three-story building is located down a private alleyway in southern paris. atelier NEA has preserved the key architectural features of the original architecture, including a large steel window fixture overlooking a private terrace, an old maple tree, a double-height space, and a skylight.  

when they approached nathalie eldan of atelier NEA, the couple wanted to create an intimate space that reflects their personality and way of life. jean moulin atelier – house is the result of a beautiful collaboration with the owners while taking in consideration every single object and piece of art they owned.

the main conceptual approach focused on adaptability and functionality, which included almost two dozen custom-made sycamore maple and steel built-in units. the project preserves the original studio typology while enhancing the layout by a total revolution of the two staircases’ positions. they have been moved from the back of the house to the front, towards the mezzanine double–height space, creating a constant dialogue with the outdoors.

private and shared needs are separated yet they remain both flexible and adaptable. the open plan ground floor where the kitchen is located supports living without internal hierarchy. it can be used for multiple uses – as an artist’s studio area or as a living room.

as the residents move up through the house, the floors become more private. the two upper floors accommodate two nooks, a bathroom, a laundry space, a walk-in closet, and a study area. the scale varies throughout the house. on the mezzanine floor, the nook enjoys a lower ceiling for more privacy and a closer relation to the human body. this nook, combined with a walk-in closet, is dedicated to sleep and relaxation. it can be enclosed by 3 extra-large sliding doors made of solid sycamore maple wood and woven jute.

an additional nook for guests is located on the upper floor. both nooks are the only areas that can be considered private, creating an enclosure and distancing from the conventional room in a house.

all the sliding doors are made of woven jute. they work as visual screens yet they allow penetration of natural light and ventilation throughout the floors. all areas in the house, including the bathroom and the walk-in closet overlook the outdoors. the porous materials; jute for the doors and perforated steel sheet in the walk-in closet protect privacy while maintaining the relationship with the outside. a large interior window that overlooks the entire house was created on the second floor to gain additional natural light.

the refurbishment adopted sycamore maple wood as its principal material, combined with steel, natural jute, waxed concrete, and carrara marble. atelier NEA designed the built-ins in a way to minimize the need for extra furniture in this very compact atelier-house.  the residence is personified by its owners thanks to a minimal intervention translated into an open-plan layout and the selection of raw and light materials.

project info:

project name: jean moulin atelier – house

type: artist studio house, rehabilitation

location: paris, france

architect: atelier NEA

structural engineers: VIMEN structure bois & acier

area: 861 ft2 (80 m2)

carpentry: alex krasnodemsky

steelworks: da ponte & silva + SDH

photography: lorenzo zandri

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom