Gaillard
The Gaillard residence is a minimalist townhouse renovation by the Paris-based architecture firm, Gemme. Located in Vincennes, France, the residence carefully balances preservation with expansion, retaining the character of the original structure while introducing a contemporary addition shaped by the site’s natural features and the family’s need for shared living space. A new 75-square-meter (807-square-foot) extension opens directly onto the garden, establishing a fluid connection between indoors and out and fostering a continuous dialogue between old and new.
Upon entry, the design establishes a clear visual and physical connection between the street-facing entrance and the rear garden. A new elongated passage reorganizes circulation and frees up the living areas, while carefully placed openings along the garden-facing walls articulate the transition between the existing structure and the contemporary extension. The addition is composed around a mature Judas tree, which becomes a central focal point visible from within and grounds the project in its natural context. Large oak-framed windows and a roof skylight frame views of the tree and surrounding greenery, allowing the interiors to subtly shift with the seasons.
Material choices further articulate the dialogue between preservation and addition. Original elements, including opus incertum flooring, oak parquet, cornices, and moldings, are carefully retained and complemented by warm wall tones that lend the historic spaces a sense of intimacy. In contrast, the extension is defined by polished concrete floors, custom light oak furnishings, and a bluestone central island, establishing a distinctly contemporary language. This material duality extends to the exterior, where light-colored brick clads the new volume in a crisp, geometric form that asserts its modern identity while remaining in conversation with the home’s traditional brick facade.
The extension introduces a high degree of flexibility through a lowered ground-floor level that forms an adaptable space beneath the Judas tree. Designed to shift between a playroom, home cinema, office, or reading nook, this area is further opened to the garden through expansive wooden folding doors that dissolve the boundary between inside and out. An exterior staircase links the first-floor living spaces directly to the landscape, reinforcing the home’s connection to its surroundings. Together, these interventions demonstrate how the Gaillard residence honors its architectural heritage while creating light-filled, contemporary spaces that remain closely attuned to nature.