Rénovation d’une bastide dans les Alpilles

This project consists in a complete renovation of an existing old building in the Alpilles region.

Before the work, this house showed signs of wear and tear and lack of maintenance work but remained in a relatively good condition. As a result, we managed to preserve most of it’s exterior shape and volumes and restored it’s façade to it’s former glory.

In the 90s, new parts had been added on the North side, breaking the original proposition.

We changed the size and shape of these volumes to create a new North entrance, allowing to reveal the full potential of the house.

The North garden now becomes the formal entrance of the property and the South, a nice garden freed from parking spaces.

A new staircase, elegant and concise replaces the old crooked one and connects the three levels of the building, flowing down like a white ribbon. The transitions from one space to another are adorned with arching vaults.

Natural materials such as stone, wood, and metal were traditionally used in the house finishes. Terracotta tiles are laid like a carpet in the entrance hall, spacious living room, kitchen, and cabinet on the ground floor. In addition to walls and doorways, these areas are visually divided by the pattern and shape of the terracotta tiles.

The living room opens on one side to a spacious terrace running along the south facade. On the other side, it opens to a cozy inner patio with a small fountain, surrounded by ancient walls from all sides.

Zelliges tiles were used in the wall finishes of the bathrooms, as well as behind the stove in the kitchen.

We restored three stone fireplaces, two of which heat the office and living room on the ground floor, and another in one of the bedrooms.

The main bedroom has natural light sources from three sides. One significant feature of this room is the balcony on the southwest side, offering a view of the garden and an ancient tower on the hill – a historical monument and symbol of this territory.

Photo : Mark Elst