To own devising
SALLE A MANGER, MAISON S., PARIS, 1986-2020
DAUPHIN chairs and HOFFMANN-derivative table context of 1987 mosaic floor and 1996 buffet installation.
SALON, MAISON S., PARIS, 1986-2019
Former window sashes recycled as doors to cupboards (right) with artists’ panels. Pressed glass mosaics chosen for flooring throughout the house save for two rooms & landing with parquet. Bespoke furniture and rug to match the banded mosaics some 30 years later.
APARTMENT 212, PARIS, 2018
The client wished to provide her tenants with a secluded sleeping area, separable from the living room. Sliding panes of polycarbonate disappear behind a partition.
The sleeping area is equipped with fully-mirrored cupboards.
Event 212 GALLERY
As previously experienced, a party for the contractors provides the opportunity for an artist’s vernissage.
Invited artist : KIM Jung Yeon, Paris.
APARTMENT FM, PARIS, 2016
To gain space (for an extended table, for example) the living-room door abuts a sliding panel, both “disappearing” for the occasion.
STUDENT DIGS, PARIS, 2005
The local Lutheran church wished to equip & rent out mansarded rooms no longer needed by the pastorate as 2 flats.
The smaller was made habitable in record time at exceptionally low cost thanks to my entremise and elbow grease. (Apart from the French window made locally in August, I had to do all the joinery.)
DANIELLS EXHIBITION FOR AM, 2005
The photographer friend AM had asked me for a sketch to propose to MONUM, who were granting him an exhibition of his photographic series after views recorded by the DANIELLS, uncle and nephew, painterly19th C. explorers of India.
I proposed a simple self-supporting system setting, as AM desired, their prints in correspondence with his photographs, respecting also other wishes of his (geographic groupings etc.).
That however was hardly to the taste of the female director who kicked me out with the arrogance of which are capable only French hauts fonctionnaires.
The exhibition took place, in sort of claustrophobic box designed by my former employer, AND PARTENAIRES.
PRIVATE LIBRARY, PARIS, 2003-2006
Everything, including flue- & fireplace relining, needed redoing in this apartment, except for the bath.
Contractor : SAMY, Sartrouville. 2003.
Photography : Antonio MARTINELLI, Paris.
BATHROOM, 2004
An existing bathroom split, screened and bespoke furnished, the bath itself serving as daybed.
DIY : CMAS, 2004
Photography : Antonio MARTINELLI, Paris.
SLEEPING PLATFORM, 2004
To preserve the resale attraction of the property, a discreet sleeping place (5m2) was carved out of volumes above WC, corridor and washroom.
The camouflage ceiling was to facilitate local repairs, given the almost inevitably constant degradation of plasterwork (due to poor 19th C. construction).
Photography : Antonio MARTINELLI, Paris.
PETITE DAVAUDERIE, NORMANDY, 2002
The request was for a replacement bathroom and to revise the incompletion of this loft conversion. The partition is placed so as not to interfere with the assembly dowels of the roof-timbers.
Works completed by local contractors directly on behalf of the supervising client.
ATELIER D’ARCHITECTE, NICE, 1997-2007
Bourgeois apartment acquired for a song, the challenge of this job was to achieve as much as possible for the lowest cost.
A stretched ceiling not only economised labour in electrical rewiring, it covers the radiant heating system (with insulation in the plenum), it resolved the issue of a badly cracked and irreparable plaster ceiling & could mask a static ventilation shaft.
ESSENTIAL LIVING, 1997
Study for the all-in-one “domestic” space (former kitchen) of architect’s atelier, Nice.
APARTMENT COB, PARIS, 1992
First major contract as French-registered independent architect.
Artworks, focus of corridor perspective & on the wall : Dimitra NIKOLOPOULOU & Georges BREHIER.
Photography : Antonio MARTINELLI, Paris.
CUISINE COB, PARIS, 1992
A folding partition replaces and serves as separating device to engage the spare bedroom with the kitchen and better illuminate it in the absence of guests.
Photography : Antonio MARTINELLI, Paris.
SALLE D’EAU COB, PARIS, 1992
The trick here was shifting the glazed partition enough to trim the cupboard doors & frame to suit washing machine and dryer.
Imprenditori : SAMY, Sartrouville et alii.
Photography : Antonio MARTINELLI, Paris.
TOMMY ROBERT’S FLAT, LONDON, 1985
The flamboyant Mr. Freedom of Carnaby Street, founder of Practical Styling wanted me to organize the search & procurement of items to revamp his living quarters, kitchen included.
However professional one might try to be, meetings would be held at 192 where you’d run into punk stars incognito.
He will have served me liquid fees, for immediate consumption.
TJ, SUTHERLAND AVENUE, LONDON, 1985
If there is something objectionable about standardized kitchens, it is their potential for brainwashing clients and builders alike.
For me, this one was only ever about the pristine joint-less-ness of the 3′ x 6′ ply panel fascia.
MOBILI PER UNA STANZA SENZA FINESTRE, 1981
Sketchbook pen drawing.
35 HARTFIELD RD, 1976
My first interiors, at 18, before starting architecture school.
I had varnished the chipboard flooring with red polyurethane, furnished and hung the walls with readymades.
To others’ devising
CFF, RUE AUBER, PARIS, 2004
Contract administrator on behalf of industrial livery & transport designers, AND PARTENAIRES, Vanves.
Apart from recalculating the staircase and redistributing the work spaces to suit evolving client requirements, my principal role was to drive the contract administration. In just 2 days I had written the spec for pricing and consulted the contractors desirous to tender.
To meet CFF deadlines I included a pilote to drive the job on site. The job was smoothly delivered, but substantially divested of its original charm for expediency’s sake, unfortunately.
PIERRE FREY, PARIS, 1989
Assistant for architect François BELLET, Paris.
Due to structural cracking, we had to intervene in the boutique to reinforce the openings that had been made in the past.
The timber mezzanine was replaced by a thin RC slab. FB’s masons & contractors used to working with me were hired for this fast-track intervention.
SET FOR AIDA, 1975
For / Per Michael WOODS, Charterhouse School.
In MW’s obituary, this set design, for which he co-opted me as executive assistant, ranks as a highlight amongst the much regretted Art Master’s contributions to the Schools cultural life.
From MW I learnt nothing less than how to go about seeing whatever there is to be seen.
opus incertum 