Valfère : Renovation of the Club Casse Croûte Restaurant in Montpellier
This restaurant renovation designed by Lagoa architecture is located in the historic center of Montpellier (34), just a few steps from Saint-Anne Church. The challenge was to integrate a wide variety of uses within a space of only 40 square meters, as “Club Casse-Croûte” is not merely a place to eat, but a true living space, open from breakfast to dinner, frequented alone, with friends, or with family.
The client’s wish was to create an atmosphere combining an imaginary world inspired by childhood memories spent in his grandparents’ bistro in the Aubrac Mountains with a contemporary and minimalist architectural approach.
Our approach first focused on enhancing the existing structure by revealing the stone walls hidden behind a thick layer of cement. For the interior design, we drew inspiration from wooden cheese-drying racks to create a modular element that structures the space. This feature takes various forms, including a bench, a window-integrated table, and a display unit for regional products.
The central element of the restaurant is the counter, which fits beneath the stone arch and organises all circulation. Designed as a sober, monolithic volume, it is clad on its exterior with brown terracotta tiles made in the Aveyron. It brings together multiple functions: a checkout and takeaway area facing the entrance, a morning coffee shop space, and a bar area equipped with beer taps and a slicer for the end of the day.
Particular attention was also given to lighting. The back of the premises, formerly very dark, was fitted with a large mirror and a glossy tiled wall to reflect natural light from the main façade. After nightfall, indirect lighting creates a soft, warm atmosphere, enhancing the texture of the stone walls and the counter.
Based in Paris, Lagoa Architecture, founded in 2022 by Christophe Gourdier and Florence Vita, specializes in built heritage. Each project is guided by three principles: the sense of place, project economy, and constructive reality.
