Fifties house

Set within 615 m² of landscaped grounds, this house on stilts offers a floor area of 263 m², spread over three levels.

Via a welcoming passageway, the house opens onto a spacious entrance hall with built-in cupboards; a separate toilet is nearby. The bright 41 m² living room includes a dining area with a grand fireplace and features a 17 m² terrace running the length of the room. An original fitted kitchen and a study adjoin the living room. These spaces enjoy direct views over the Garonne and the protected, unspoilt Île du Ramier.

Accessed via a marble staircase, the first-floor landing features a lounge area and a library. This level comprises three bedrooms, including a 22m² master suite with a fireplace and another bedroom with an en-suite shower room.

This floor also features a bathroom with a bath, shower and double washbasins, a large walk-in wardrobe, a separate toilet and built-in cupboards.

A striking red staircase with pop-art accents leads to the second and top floor of the house. The landing here is also fitted out as a reading area and leads to two attic bedrooms, one of which has an en-suite shower room and a separate toilet. These rooms benefit from plenty of natural light thanks to the roof windows and portholes in the façade.

The ground floor of the house comprises a bedroom, a utility room and a 43 m² double garage.

The property is completed by a motorhome garage, a 53 m² covered courtyard and a walkway leading to a 28 m² private terrace overlooking the Garonne.

Located in Toulouse, this property enjoys a prime location, overlooking Île du Ramier and in the immediate vicinity of the Oncopole district, which is currently undergoing a major landscape transformation with the development of the Grand Parc Garonne.

The neighbourhood is quiet and well-connected, offering all amenities (shops, schools, transport: tram, L4, L5) and proximity to numerous green spaces. Toulouse Blagnac Airport and Toulouse Matabiau station are 15 and 20 minutes’ drive away respectively, and Place du Capitole is 25 minutes away by public transport.

The house is situated in the Toulouse neighbourhood of the ‘O’-shaped streets. Characterised by a common architectural language, its buildings and houses feature rounded façades marked by a combination of bricks, tiles and white concrete. Built in 1953, the house served as a laboratory for experimenting with the architecture of the 1940s and 1950s for Bernard Calley and Georges Alet, its designers.

Its architecture is characterised by a duality of expression, with two interlocking volumes. The first – clad in facing brick – is massive; anchored to the ground and softened by a trellis in the shape of a ship’s prow – symbolises the pre-war period and Art Deco inspiration. The two porthole windows in the façade’s pediment also evoke this maritime vocabulary, extended inside by the cabin doors on the second floor.

The second, a white structure on stilts, embodies the pioneering spirit of the 1960s with its offset viewfinder and soaring, space-age roof. These technical and aesthetic choices reflect the influence of the Modern Movement and are part of a broader trend in which French architects adopted certain elements of the International Style, whilst adapting them to the local context.

This building embodies a harmonious dialogue between traditional craftsmanship and visionary modernity, drawing on Toulouse’s expertise.

The quality of the craftsmanship is evident in the choice of refined materials, such as Blanc Arabescato, Noir de Belgique and Rose du Portugal marbles, as well as in the finesse of the finishes: artistic ironwork, parquet flooring crafted from solid oak and merbau, eglomised glass and bronze handles.

The hallmark of avant-garde architecture is evident here in technical innovations that foreshadow contemporary comfort, notably the bay windows with metal frames and double glazing, air conditioning, underfloor heating, roller shutters and motorised blinds.

Harmony is achieved through the interplay between the works of the sculptor Joseph Monin, a leading figure in the Toulouse art scene, and those of the internationally renowned master cabinetmaker André Arbus. Fireplaces carved from marble, acid-etched glass doors with bronze handles, allegorical stucco work, a fibreglass-reinforced polyester staircase designed by Georges Ferran, and bespoke furniture all lend the space a remarkable character. Each element highlights the fusion of art, local craftsmanship and avant-garde aesthetics.

Preserved with its original furnishings and décor, this building is an authentic reflection of its regional roots and the era in which it was built.

The son of an architect, Bernard Calley (1925–1992) graduated from the Toulouse School of Fine Arts (Lemaresquier-de Noyers-Valle studio) in 1952 and passed the competitive examination to become an Architecte des Bâtiments de France in 1956. Following an initial posting to the Pyrénées-Orientales and Aude Agency, he was appointed Architecte des Bâtiments de France for Haute-Garonne and Ariège, a post he held until his retirement in July 1990.

At the same time, he joined forces with Georges Alet (1914–1975) to practise as a freelance architect. Deeply attached to their home region, the two architects undertook various projects for offices, shops and housing in Toulouse and the surrounding area during the 1950s and 1960s.