‘Maison NW by Nathalie Wolberg is located near Paris, in the city of Saint-Ouen, neighboring the northern quarters of the capital. It is on an attractive plot in a rather typical neighborhood. On the western side, the whole area is filled with small, low-cost apartment buildings and on the east, a small industrial zone. It spreads along a cemetery, a large park with century-old chestnut trees. From the upper floor terrace, one can see the branches and leaves. On the southern side, one can see a small block one and two-story brick houses.
The project takes place in the headquarters of a former printing house, dating back to the 1950s. The space has been transformed into 9 artists’ workshops. The house-workshop covers 1,937 sf (+ a terrace of 861 sf), on three levels.
A tailored architecture.
Maison NW, the home and work studio of architect Nathalie Wolberg, is treated as a laboratory to test out new devices and new environments on a daily basis.
Taking into account the individual from the conception of the project allows a different approach on the topology of domestic space. The concept consists of crossing individual personalities with daily actions in order to create a coherent framework that takes on:
* an emotional dimension that meets the needs stemming from the individual’s personality,
* an erotic dimension that satisfies cravings generated by his/her desires and passions
* a prosthetic dimension that meets the needs rooted in deficiencies and pathologies.
A number of suitable principles will be elaborated and adapted over time that will meet the needs of many, even though the project is based on the architect’s personal experiences.
An architecture of the senses.
This architectural concept is defined through a linguistic approach: words that qualify our behaviors. The implementation of a system permits the progressive transition from sense to shape, from conception to perception, to concrete representation. It projects symbolism into reality, and reveals the framework in their physical, sensible, and perceptive dimensions. Thus, it becomes possible not only to qualify shapes, colors, and materials, but also to work on a sound-based, visual, kinesthetic, and tactile transcription of words, and chosen notions.
Consequently, the environment is conceived through sensibility to create specific atmospheres. It creates a “wall-free” architecture within which light, sound and matter, according to their inherent qualities define the limits of the space.
Various scales of the project modify behaviors and relationships.
The project is based on three scales designed to match needs for intimacy, autonomy and/or sharing. Through similar actions, it will be possible to adopt behaviors, attitudes, various postures and to initiate numerous relationships.
The scales are :
1. A global or overall scale, corresponding to the physical environment of the located space, here a big volume. It is the space for freedom, a place of spontaneous actions, it is the “scale of possibilities”. Function-free, occupation-free, with no designation whatsoever.
2. A scale per area, corresponding to everyday environment, associated to vital and social actions, and which characterizes “places to share common sensations”. A graduation towards ‘the’ specific.
3. A scale per element, referring to personal environment, linked to personal actions, thus generating privileged spaces. It is “the scale of individual equilibrium”. A graduation towards ‘the’ particular.’
For further information and pictures visit: www.archinect.com.
I’ve read lots of information, and I think it’s a very interesting concept. The dwellings are amazing! But I die to see pics from the exterior. Does anyone know where I can find one?