Villa Riberolle
Villa Riberolle is a private street located in the 20th arrondissement at the edge of Père Lachaise Cemetery. Since its creation in the mid-19th century, the buildings on this street have housed small industries and workshops: trimmings, cabinetmaking, jewelry, film manufacturing, and even public baths. For over a century, these buildings have been modified according to their use and the work carried out there. However, their original features remain: each building consists of a large metal-framed hall covered with sheet metal, hidden behind a pediment façade. It is these archetypal figures that give the street its identity and lend it an urban dimension.
The project concerns two of these halls, which a film post-production company wishes to renovate to install editing rooms. The programme is not set in stone, and as the company's needs are constantly evolving, it may change over the coming years. The aim of the project is therefore to consolidate the existing structure so that it can accommodate various scenarios of use. Our proposal seeks to create a space that accommodates both permanence and change.
In order to move forward with the uncertainty of the programme, the work is organised in several phases:
- The structural work project aims to restore the basic qualities necessary for the building to function properly. The original envelope and structure are being preserved, which involves stabilising and reinforcing the structure. A large concrete staircase is being created, in keeping with the building's purpose. Finally, a curved wall made of concrete blocks conceals the necessary service areas for whatever activity is hosted there: toilets, technical room, office.
- In a second phase, the light and reversible finishing work project will fit out the editing rooms. Both partitions and exposed networks are easily modifiable. On the ground floor, the large main room disappears behind a mirror, a spatial paradox that duplicates the space and thus preserves the initial volume, while dividing it. The renovated building is thus deeply rooted in the tradition of industrial buildings: activities evolve within a structure that remains unchanged. The architectural project is conceived as the organisation of these stable and changing elements in space and time.
