Description
The house-studio of artist Simone Prouvé
This house, originally built in the 1970s, was transformed into an artist’s residence in 2007 by architects Florence and Bruno Stahly for the visual artist Simone Prouvé. Its contemporary design offers remarkable spatial flexibility, making it adaptable to a variety of projects.
Situated on a 339 m² plot, the house spans 189 m² of living space (235 m² total floor area) across three levels.
The entrance leads to a spacious studio under a glass roof, opening onto a terrace sheltered by a pergola and the garden. This level also includes an office, a laundry room, a small cellar, and a 50 m² garage.
A concrete staircase ascends to the first floor, which features a living area with an open-plan kitchen, dining nook, and balcony, as well as a bathroom and a large office/studio overlooking the workshop below.
The converted attic houses two beautiful bedrooms separated by a playroom.
The house is located in a quiet, residential cul-de-sac. The Romainville-Carnot metro station is a 5-minute walk away, providing quick access to central Paris.
A contemporary rehabilitation by Florence and Bruno Stahly
The architects’ intervention is a delicate, contemporary transformation that brings light and transparency to the original structure. A fully glazed double-height volume is added to the main building on the garden side, creating a space for Simone Prouvé’s creative work, immersed in greenery. The rest of the house is redesigned with a functional approach, offering great flexibility of use. The various spaces combine to form a bright, minimalist living and working environment, where white walls contrast with polished concrete floors and the warmth of custom wooden furniture.
Simone & Jean Prouvé, archives © ADAGP 2025
The studio of Simone Prouvé © ADAGP 2025
Simone Prouvé : a modern tapestry artist
Simone Prouvé (1931-2024) was a French artist renowned for her modern approach, blending textile art with photography, architecture, and design. Her poetic creations, abstract landscapes with rich textural effects, have been exhibited in prestigious institutions, including the Centre Pompidou, which acquired several of her panels in 2021.
Born into a family of artists, Simone Prouvé was the daughter of Jean Prouvé, a self-taught designer and engineer, and the granddaughter of Victor Prouvé, a key figure in the École de Nancy movement, a driving force behind Art Nouveau in France. She began her weaving training in Paris in 1949 and continued her studies in Sweden and Finland in the 1950s. While her early works employed traditional weaving techniques, she soon incorporated unconventional materials such as stainless steel, fiberglass, and polyethylene, exploring the interplay of light, suggestion, and transparency. From 1963 to 1989, she collaborated with her partner André Schlosser, who designed tapestry cartoons that she freely interpreted. Her hybrid approach attracted many architects and designers, leading to collaborations with prominent figures such as Claude Parent, Odile Decq, and Christian de Portzamparc.
In 2023, the monograph Tisser la lumière by Muriel Seidel, published by Selena, traces her professional journey and her encounters with major figures in art and design. Her work continues to inspire new generations of textile artists and designers.
Fondation Stahly, archives © Reserved rights
Bruno Stahly, House-studio Stahly, Fondation Stahly, facade, archives © Reserved rights
Florence and Bruno Stahly
Florence and Bruno Stahly are the children of artists François and Claude Stahly, for whom they designed the famous residence-studio in the Var in 1970. Their work is deeply influenced by modern European and American architectural thought.
