Studio Razavi has renovated a 16th-century apartment located in the well-preseved Renaissance quarter of Lyon, France.

Abandoned for over sixty years, the apartment was in a ruinous state when a young scientist decided to have it renovated and turned into an ‘introspective space,’ conducive to reflection and reclusion. While celebrating certain original features, the architects chose to reduce the preexisting decoration to a minimum, plastering all the walls with a pale gray finish that strikes a contrast with the tones of the furnishings and the kitchen cabinets of MDF boards, which are painted a sea-green.

As a counterpoint to the minimalist aesthetic, arches here and there break the apartment’s overall rectilinear geometry and square proportions, forming doorways, cupboards, display niches, and radiator covers. The old features that were preserved include two large stone fireplaces, the oak-beam ceiling, and a clear height exceeding four meters.

A spiral staircase leads to the entrance, where a foyer precedes the main space, which combines the dining room, the kitchen, and the living room. Completing the domestic program are a bathroom, a single room, and a dressing room.
The furniture pieces in the living room are few and far between, just a glass table, some chairs, and a sofa, which helps to seal the calm of the place. The preserved original elements lord over everything else.