Cabinet + Republic of Architects: C.A.R.P. Alexandria
The masonry house, dating from 1912 and built in an eclectic style, features an attic used for storage and a metal-sheet roof. Positioned directly on the street frontage, it contains two rooms identified in the original plans as “halls,” from which several interior rooms—lacking direct access to the exterior—are indirectly lit and accessed.
Life in this house in Alexandria traditionally unfolded largely in the courtyard, surrounded by grapevines, fruit trees, edible plants, and outbuildings. In 2003, the building was designated a Class B historic monument, with protection granted to its exterior ornamentation, original joinery, and historic stove.
By 2020, when the property was purchased, it had undergone a number of alterations: a large porch with a concrete slab had been added, some windows had been blocked up, and a small, atypical doorway had appeared. When the new owner—a mutual aid association for pensioners (C.A.R.), a non-banking financial institution whose operation depends on its member community—approached the architects, it already had a clear vision of why the monument had been acquired. The intention was to create a headquarters that would provide high-quality spaces for employees while also accommodating social activities for members and fostering a stronger community.
Prior discussions with the Regional Cultural Heritage Commission had already established that any need for additional space could be addressed through the construction of a separate building volume. The intervention project therefore had to balance multiple requirements. First, a series of decisions focused on restoring the historic house by removing elements that had compromised its character over time and introducing new features required for its role as office space and a community gathering venue. Second, the design process addressed the new, distinct building volume, intended to accommodate exclusively the institution’s financial functions. Finally, attention turned to the courtyard, conceived as the connective space linking the two buildings and their relationship to the street.
Three categories of users and corresponding courtyard zones were defined. Visiting members use the front courtyard—with its plants and brick benches—and always have access to the area designated for them in the new building, as well as occasional access to the attic of the historic house during community meetings.
Employees belonging to the executive branch enter their workspaces in the new building through the rear courtyard. Administrative staff enter through the front courtyard, directly accessing the ground floor of the historic house. The courtyards and the fence thus become fluid elements that facilitate communication among users and are treated with the same level of care and design attention as the two buildings themselves.
