Revealing the vaulted cellars: restoration that uncovers hidden volumes and light
On Rue des Tournelles, the project uncovered long-hidden vaulted cellars and chose to reveal rather than remake them.
Rather than imposing radical change, the restoration highlights inherent spatial qualities—thick masonry, continuous vaulting, raw mineral surfaces and a distinctive play of light. A sequence of vaulted chambers, linked by arched passages and narrow circulation, carves a progressive depth beneath the building; the spaces feel almost monolithic, with rendered irregularities and construction traces contributing to their tactile reading.
Natural light punctuates the cellars through small façade openings and high-level shafts, casting direct beams that expose vault geometry and surface materiality. The design works with this minimal light rather than trying to homogenize the spaces: shadows, transitions and depth become essential to perception.
Extensive consolidation and surface repairs reinstate a coherent reading of volumes while preserving imperfections and evidence of age. The intervention remains intentionally restrained—limited material palette, mineral tones and minimal detailing—to retain the site’s raw character.
Vaulted passages and existing arches were carefully restored, with sensitive attention to junctions and thicknesses; selected openings were reinterpreted to improve circulation and views without compromising the original constructive logic, maintaining a fluid spatial sequence and reinforcing depth.
The staircase linking the cellars to the levels above is a key compositional element, gradually admitting natural light and mediating between the subterranean, mineral realm and the inhabited floors. The interplay of dark and light structures the experience and guides movement.
Overall, the project adopts a measured approach to the existing: restoration that reveals spatial and constructive qualities rather than erasing time. Vaulted volumes, materiality and light become the primary compositional devices in a sober intervention that privileges continuity and perception.
