On a Squeezed Lot in Paris, a Family of Six Builds Up and Out

Finding space for a family of six in the city of Paris was never going to be an easy task. But on a plot roughly 16 feet wide in Butte Bergeyre, a tucked-away neighborhood in the 19th arrondissement, Ajile Architects designed a 2,200-square-foot home across seven levels that’s far more than the sum of its parts.

"The whole project was strategically thought of as one volume, rather than a series of floors, in constant relation with its surroundings," explain the architects. "This deliberate blurring of the frontier between inside and outside sought to maximize the narrow interior space."

Through the home’s front door is a foyer complete with ample storage, which then leads to both the living space on the garden level below and the kitchen and dining area on the first floor. "Light, air circulation between the opposing front walls, and loose thresholds all contribute to a great spatial fluidity," say the architects of these more public spaces.

The upper floors are dedicated to bedrooms and bathrooms—the only enclosed spaces in the entire home. The second and third floors house the children’s bedrooms, which are interlaced with large open landings that function as playrooms and private living rooms. The fourth floor is entirely occupied by the primary bedroom, which is positioned between two private decks.

From one of the fourth floor decks, a spiral stair connects to a lush rooftop furnished with soft seating and a dining table for al fresco entertaining. "Generously planted, the house’s crowing room towers over Paris," explain the architects.

Each floor is arranged around interlocking vertical sight lines and circulation, creating what the architects describe as "an intricate jigsaw puzzle". This approach also helps to bring light into the heart of the home through the north and south facades, which was a key consideration given that it’s sandwiched between two other homes. In the enclosed bedroom and bathroom spaces, high bay windows work to bring in light.

The interiors are characterized by bright white finishes punctuated by a series of 50 custom-made birch plywood units, which serve as book shelves and storage spaces. The floors, a mottled white, are terrazzo that was cast in place. "The central material of the project is actually light itself, playfully revealing an array of whites on these harsh surfaces," say the architects.

"The aim of this project was not to maximize floor space, but to support connections, fluidity, and convenience," say the architects. "A discreet house from the outside, it reveals a fully spread out interior, without limits or obstacles to the view—this home is all about infinity."

Related Reading:

In Paris, a 540-Square-Foot Apartment Becomes a Forever Home for a Family of Five

A Vibrant Retrofit Breathes New Life Into a Dilapidated 19th-Century House in Paris

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Ajile Architects

Photographers: Cécile Septet & Vanessa Bosio