Dornob | Design Ideas Daily

Paris Stairwell Apartment Packs 4 Floors into 269 Sq Ft

Posted: 02 May 2014 08:00 AM PDT

Paris Stairwell Apartment Main

A dark, cramped Paris apartment measured no more than ten feet wide, but stretched four floors high, most of that vertical space inaccessible. Architects Marc Sirvin and Clémence Eliard of Agence SML turned to ingenious Japanese architectural tricks for inspiration to maximize the available space, creating a small, open room at each level.

Paris Stairwell Apartment 2

The resulting apartment feels like living in a stairwell. Illuminated by a single skylight, the interiors feature mesh floors that enable the daylight to stream all the way down to the bathroom on the ground floor. The new metal structure fitted into the narrow space includes ladders, railings, stairs and small landings that lead to each cozy little room.

Paris Stairwell Apartment 3

Stairwell Apartment 4

From the ground-level bathroom, the stairs lead up to the kitchen, and then to a small work and storage area with a desk and closet. The bed is on a lofted platform just below the skylight.

Paris Stairwell Apartment 5

It’s an incredibly creative way to make the most of limited urban space in a highly desirable city, and could be comfortable for the right open-minded occupant – so long as they don’t get an injury that keeps them from going up and down all those stairs.