How a Young French Couple Transformed a Dated Department Store Into a Ultra-Modern Home

Rachel Gallaher
·6 min read

Architect Özge Öztürk still remembers the first pictures her clients Maxime and Sophie sent of the property they wanted to renovate in Colmar, France. Situated on an upper floor of a 112-year-old building designed by late local architect Josué-George Bloch, the unit had been renovated into a low-cost office space replete with carpet tiles, PVC ceiling panels, and cheap partitions that created a choppy, confusing layout.

“It was very shocking,” says Öztürk, who runs London-based Oza Design with Alexandre Simeray. “I was like, ‘There’s no way we can do something like that.’ It was the ugliest office you’d seen in your life.” Yet the challenge intrigued the architects, and Simeray went to look at the space in person. “When Alex got there and saw it, he called me and said, ‘You won’t believe me, but this project is incredible.’ ”

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Architects Alexandre Simeray and Özge Öztürk transformed the low-ceilinged, mazelike office into a sleek, open living space while maintaining original architectural details, as seen in the ceiling, that date back 100 years.
Architects Alexandre Simeray and Özge Öztürk transformed the low-ceilinged, mazelike office into a sleek, open living space while maintaining original architectural details, as seen in the ceiling, that date back 100 years.

Maxime and Sophie, a young professional couple, purchased the unit, intending to transform it into a modern, industrial-forward residence. “We were immediately drawn to the apartment’s unique location in Colmar, a city rich in history and artistic heritage,” the duo explain, noting the northeastern town as the birthplace of artist Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, who, in collaboration with Gustave Eiffel, the French engineer behind the eponymous Tower, designed the Statue of Liberty. “The building itself, with a modernist brutalist style, presented a fascinating contrast to the picturesque, traditional architecture of Colmar.”

One of the first concrete constructions in the area, it once housed an M. Knopf & Co. department store. During his initial visit, Simeray discovered that the eight-foot-high ceilings were false: Removing the PVC board panels revealed the original 12-and-a-half-foot height, as well as elegant architectural details that stood as a testament to the structure’s history. “The architects kept these industrial elements, rehabilitated the damaged areas, and embraced them as the foundation of the interior aesthetic,” note the homeowners.

Colmar is full of historic buildings. The clients thought local architects would skew too traditional, so they sought out Simeray and Öztürk to push aesthetic boundaries.
Colmar is full of historic buildings. The clients thought local architects would skew too traditional, so they sought out Simeray and Öztürk to push aesthetic boundaries.

Focusing on the owners’ request for “an open, light-filled space that broke away from traditional design styles, with a palette of glass, metal, concrete, brick, and dark-colored timber,” Öztürk and Simeray began sketching plans for the 2,700-square-foot apartment. “We gave them a presentation where we had a panel system to divide off the rooms,” Simeray recalls, “but they came back to us and said, ‘You can go even more radical if you want.’ ”

Constrained only by the single row of windows—the sole source of natural light—the architects gutted the interiors, replacing the warren-like series of rooms with a layout comprising two bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a powder room, and another room that does double duty as a third bedroom slash office. Bedrooms are positioned around a central hub that includes the kitchen, living, and dining areas. The rooms are divided by custom iron-and-glass partitions that create ample common space when fully open. They also allow light to reach deep into the apartment, reducing the need for incandescent bulbs.

“If you’re taking a bath and someone else is cooking, you can still have a conversation,” Öztürk says. “For privacy, we installed heavy curtains the client can close, but when they’re open, you can see every angle and every corner from anywhere in the apartment. We used mirrors at the top of the partitions to reflect more light around the space.” That trick allowed them to add 860 square feet of storage above the two additional bedrooms and a bathroom.

In the primary bathroom’s shower, the architects used Ceppo di Gré stone to complement the white-gypsum wall finishes while vintage submarine lights add an industrial twist.
In the primary bathroom’s shower, the architects used Ceppo di Gré stone to complement the white-gypsum wall finishes while vintage submarine lights add an industrial twist.

While the original ceilings and windows remain, everything else in the apartment is new. Concrete floors, raw-iron partitions, and white-painted-brick walls are all material references to regional industries, installed by local craftspeople and serving as a sleek backdrop for a suite of black-and-white furniture designed by Öztürk and Simeray as part of Oza’s 2021 Warrior collection. The only furnishings the clients brought were mattresses and eight rattan-backed wood chairs that bring warmth to the hefty dining table, visually breaking up the two-toned palette.

“The black-and-white color scheme was chosen to complement the minimalist and industrial aesthetic while allowing the textures and materials to take center stage,” say the homeowners. “This palette provides a serene backdrop that emphasizes the design details, from the raw ironwork to the concrete finishes, creating a sophisticated yet understated environment.”

To allow as much natural light as possible into the home, Simeray and Öztürk used open shelving and steel-and-glass panels to divide the rooms.
To allow as much natural light as possible into the home, Simeray and Öztürk used open shelving and steel-and-glass panels to divide the rooms.

To further soften the stark aesthetic, Öztürk and Simeray layered in gypsum-treated walls, natural-fiber rugs, and linen upholstery. Working with local Galerie Murmure, they curated a collection of modern paintings and sculptures, including pieces by Franziskus Wendels, Frédéric Klein, and Yann Baco.

“We wanted to create this homey feeling with very comfortable furniture and a serene atmosphere,” explains Öztürk, “so it was all about achieving a balance between that and the industrial look.”

When the project started, the apartment was built for Sophie and Maxime with the future in mind—hence the flexible-purpose extra room. The couple now have two small children but don’t find themselves living differently. They still entertain often, gathering in the kitchen—where a cantilevered concrete island and shou sugi ban cabinetry play backdrop to both weekend breakfast prep and evening cocktail curation. “The island is very sculptural, like an art piece in the middle of the house,” says Öztürk. “They actually use it more than the dining table.”

Blackened timber in the kitchen is a visual reference to the area’s coal-producing past.
Blackened timber in the kitchen is a visual reference to the area’s coal-producing past.

While it’s common for a designer to push their clients’ aesthetic boundaries, in this case, it was the homeowners who pushed Öztürk and Simeray into more experimental territory, elevating the project from a standard renovation to a noteworthy study in stylistic innovation. “This is one of the most difficult projects we’ve ever done,” Simeray declares, noting that while he and Öztürk don’t usually play favorites, there was something particularly rewarding about this apartment in Colmar. “If someone asked tomorrow which one of our projects would we like to live in,” he says, “it would be this one.”

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