theo domini abstracts steel and faded plaster for this 19th-century parisian apartment

chateau landon: a tranquil home and belvedere

Theo Domini’s Chateau Landon transforms a grand 19^th-century Haussmanian building into a tranquil apartment overlooking one of the Paris’ most spectacular landscapes — the Montmarte. Named after the street that houses it, the residence questions what it means to appropriate an existing space by reimagining the space’s material and color palette to create an interplay between historic context and contemporary design.

Devoid of confined spaces and ornamentation, the interior is animated by a subtle and dynamic interplay of light, materials, and seamlessly melding thresholds. The design concept is driven by the image of the 19th-century France basking in an ethereal glow as the architect seeks to encapsulate views from the site of the sun setting on the horizon and creating a serene play of light and shade.

all images courtesy of Theo Domini

theo domini sparks an interplay of light and shade

Chataeu Landon is designed as not only a protective screen ensuring the privacy of its inhabitants, but also as a belvedere offering panoramic vistas of the landscape beyond. Stepping inside, architect Theo Domini has conceived a radical abstraction of the steel surfaces in contrast with the faded plaster bearing the mark of a century of history. In harmony with one another, these juxtaposed elements ‘unite and coexist to enhance the sublime event they face.’

With simple linear geometries, smooth surfaces, and a limited color palette that naturally guides the gaze around, the design concept is a celebration of the simple joys of everyday life. Intensifying the experience of basic necessities, a calming and restful space where a sensory experience is emphasized is created for the inhabitants. This began with the elimination of objects, distractions, and defined thresholds, with doors becoming replaced by transitionary spaces marked by a gradual change in tones. The subtle interplay of gradations and suggestive boundaries that are never fully closed ‘animate the space’ and spark curiosity. ‘Imperceptibly, we pass from bright rooms to a warm and modulated half-light where the softness of the materials dominates,’ notes Domini. The residence is entered by ascending onto a platform that rises slightly above the existing parquet floors through which ferns and climbing ivy grow freely. 

Chateau Landon sits within a 19th-century Haussmanian building

a juxtaposition of sleek steel and weathered plaster

ferns and climbing ivy weave freely through the residence

Theo Domini maintained the original plaster and its century-long history

a free sequence of spaces unfolds without marked thresholds

Theo C. Domini embraces the beauty of raw materiality

project info:

name: Chateau Landon
architect: Theo Domini

location: Paris, France

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edited by: ravail khan | designboom