Sow Paris | SAOTA

Our Senegalese based client acquired this magnificent penthouse apartment which occupies the entire floor, and a lower entrance level in an historical building located in the prestigious sixteenth district of Paris. Having completed two interior projects for this client in Cape Town, and currently working on his private homes in Dakar and Geneva and his hotel in Dakar, ANTONI ASSOCIATES have come to understand the high level of design and sophistication expected by the Client. The clients brief was to create a sumptuous, cutting edge 21s Century luxury apartment that combines the romance of Paris with the exotic undertones of Africa. ANTONI ASSOCIATES were able to work in Europe by doing the planning and approvals in conjunction with a local architectural practice “DP AGENCE”. The lower entrance level is comprised of an entrance foyer, a guest bedroom suite and double volume library and study. A new feature steel and timber cantilever staircase was designed to fill the entrance foyer and create opportunities to display various artworks from around the globe. The staircase wraps around an Ether Chandelier from Murano. The study /  library is  a double  volume space, paneled in a dark stained ash timber on three sides with a full height window on the fourth wall giving one a view of the historical buildings of the 16th arrondissement. The main level of the apartment has three living rooms, master suite, 2 guest bedrooms and two large terrace roof gardens. The master bedroom which is actually located in the roof loft space (as the apartment is the penthouse) forms a mezzanine overlooking the study which shares and two-storey glass window framing a view of the Paris skyline. The main feature of the master en-suite is the bath which floats on an onyx backlit floor which continues into a frameless onyx slab sliding door that separates it from the informal lounge and open plan kitchen. When the client is in residence by himself, this onyx sliding door allows the master bedroom to link directly with open plan living spaces allowing for easy flow between the two. # Jon Case points out that “The joinery and interior finishes were extremely detailed and precise. We adapted some new materials and worked closely with European craftsmen to create this cutting edge interior.” The main entertainment area comprises of the two partially divided sitting rooms, the open plan kitchen and the two large terrace roof gardens. The sitting rooms are divided by a central feature fireplace which has been clad with a burnished metal panel. French doors open onto the terrace which has been landscaped with sculptured water features and built in seating. The terraces overlook the central courtyard of the apartment building which is dominated by an enormous horse chestnut tree and the apex of the Eiffel Tower can be seen towering above the roofs cape. The sleek interior of the apartment contrasts with the rough stone and limestone façade of the courtyard. The feature kitchen is Boffi, a Zebrano timber and stainless steel counter top finishes were selected. Paris being one of the gourmet capitals of the world, the Client elected to omit having a dining room as almost all of his meals would be eaten out at any one of the 3 toque restaurants in the vicinity. The kitchen therefore was designed with a large central island with bar seating for informal dining. The use of red silk faced glass which has been backlit adds drama to this area. The interior furniture is all modern and sleek lines with reference to the client’s African heritage which is evident in the Nguni rugs and antique artifacts. A number of signature furniture pieces were designed and supplied by OKHA. The client’s taxidermy collection, a monkey in the study and a lioness add a sense of playfulness and fun. Accent tonal fabrics were used to create flair. The two guest bedrooms open onto a small family lounge which also has egress to the main entertainment terrace roof garden. Here timber decking was used underfoot. Built-in marble clad custom seating and planter boxes were added. A feature outdoor grille was built against the rustic stone wall. The pitch of the roof spaces  and angled walls which were perforated with typical Parisian dormer windows with wrought iron Juliet balconies in this classical build were features which complicated the design process. This was successfully dealt with by cladding these with horizontal timber paneling. Feature bulkheads were added to define and articulate the space and to provide recesses for concealed lighting. Mirror was used in specific areas of the entertainment space to add depth and reflection. Textured contrasts such as rich exotic woods, burnished metals and clay stucco feature walls were used to highlight elements of the interior architecture. Large polished sandstone tiles overlap solid timber floorboards to define areas within the interior. Vibrant Bizzaza mosaics were used to add colour and texture to the bathrooms accompanied by state of the art sanitary and chromeware. # “Throughout the apartment, modern works of art, many of which were from the client’s private collection, sit comfortably within this luxury apartment creating an interior that is decidedly sleek and contemporary,” says Mark Rielly.