Contemporary house

Set within a 100 m² garden at the end of a discreet and quiet cul-de-sac in the 10th arrondissement, the house offers 165 m² of living space. Arranged over two levels, the property is composed of three distinct volumes: the main house, a large studio, and an independent dwelling.

The first floor, accessed via an entrance hall on the ground level, features a spacious living area combining a lounge with a wood-burning stove, a dining room, and a fully equipped kitchen. This space extends outdoors onto a 70 m² terrace, shaded by reed canopies and equipped with a fireplace and built-in seating—effectively an additional living area for the home.

The sleeping quarters include a master suite with its own bathroom, two additional bedrooms each with a balcony, and a second bathroom. A fourth bedroom is located on the garden level.

This level also hosts a generous 70 m² workspace, bathed in natural light and fully open onto the garden through pocket sliding glass doors. Adjacent to this area, beneath a covered terrace, a summer kitchen opens onto a landscaped, tree-filled garden.

The property is further complemented by a 35 m² independent pavilion with its own garden, as well as a cellar.

Three parking spaces are available in front of the house.

This property is located in the heart of the La Timone district, in the 10th arrondissement of Marseille, at the end of a cul-de-sac. It enjoys a calm and sheltered setting, away from major urban flows, while remaining well connected to the city’s main thoroughfares.

It is served by buses and the metro (an 8-minute walk), providing access to the Old Port of Marseille and Gare de Marseille-Saint-Charles within 20 minutes. The house also benefits from excellent road connections, with the Prado Tunnel nearby and the A50 motorway offering easy access to Cassis and La Ciotat in around 30 minutes.

The contemporary language of the renovation offers a nuanced tribute to the vernacular architecture of both shores of the Mediterranean, and to homes thoughtfully adapted to their climate. The reed-shaded terrace, along with pocket sliding glass doors that create a seamless flow between indoors and outdoors, underscores the strong connection between the architecture and the specificities of its setting. More broadly, the geometric composition of cubic concrete volumes is softened by ochre roof tiles, light-toned finishes, and wood, anchoring the house in a Mediterranean aesthetic that is both minimalist and warm.

Inside, the light-filled living spaces are designed with the well-being of the inhabitants in mind, reflecting the sense of calm intrinsic to the Marseillais art de vivre. To achieve this harmony and gentle atmosphere, particular attention has been paid to high-end materials and finishes—polished concrete floors, aluminum workshop-style frames—within a luminous and inviting ambiance conceived and orchestrated by Belgian interior architect Nathalie Dewez.

The house’s horizontal lines, slender railings, and external circulation evoke both the nautical imagery of 1930s modernist architecture and certain Mediterranean experiments of the 1960s. Far from incidental, these references situate the project within a broader narrative—that of the 20th-century regionalist movement, which emerged in response to the perceived austerity of industrial modernism. This movement sought to reconcile a modern spirit with local identity, a lineage that continues to resonate in many contemporary architectural works today.

A graduate of La Cambre Arts Visuels in Brussels in 2001, Nathalie Dewez is an interior architect whose work spans from small objects to monumental installations, from unique pieces to industrial products. She designs lighting fixtures, objects, furniture, and more sculptural works, and also works as a lighting consultant. In 2011, she received the Prix Design de la Fondation Pierre Bergé and, in the same year, was named Belgian Designer of the Year. With a particular focus on lighting design, she has created numerous pieces, notably for Ligne Roset and Hermès (Petit h).

A talented and multidisciplinary designer based in Marseille since 2018, she has taught at the local Fine Arts school and served for several consecutive years as curator of the Design section of Art-O-Rama.