The project pertains to the renovation of a small family house in Toulouse. Despite its dated and somewhat run-down appearance, the house benefits from a five-meter wide parcel, which allows for a structure made of beams and hollow-core slabs, thus offering easy open-plan possibilities.
Ground Floor Transformation
On the ground floor, the garage is removed, and the veranda and its utility room are demolished. On the street side, a new glass block wall set back from the façade creates a buffer zone from the street and sidewalk, providing space for bikes and containers. The interior space is reduced to improve habitability and give the garden more magnitude. To the east, a large sliding glass door enhances the connection between the living area and the garden. By returning to its essential volume, the living area gains more light and merges with the garden.
Preservation of Materials and Legacy
As the existing materials are of good quality and in relatively good condition, they are reused wherever possible. The different floor tiles on the ground floor are preserved, sometimes partly removed to accommodate utility lines, and then reinstalled. Wall partitions are filled in with concrete, and then polished. The same process is applied to the walls and ceilings, where the imprints of old partitions are left exposed. The original layout of the house and its subsequent changes are kept visible, and its legacy is transmissible. The speckled tiles from the old veranda are cleaned and repurposed in the bathroom. On the top floor, the roof is externally insulated, new openings are created, and the space is kept open to allow for the house’s potential to evolve again.
Through thoughtful renovation and preservation of materials, the MNB House not only gains a new lease on life but also retains its historical and architectural significance.
