In an environment of great community character full of history, on the outskirts of the town of Guesnain, at the crossroads with the town of Douai, in France, the studio graal architecture transforms an old miners' cafe into an opportunity to revitalize the town and its economy and witness the local architecture and its evolution.

La Musette is located in an area dotted with workers' houses and old farms, an everyday context that gives it characteristics that favor the creation of a broad program, which gives rise to a versatile space that consists of a hybrid of cafeteria, shop local food and artistic space.
The architecture studio graal is in charge of the renovation of a group of buildings using traditional construction principles and making the most of local materials, approaching the project through an eco-design and self-construction approach.

Designed to host cultural events of a regional dimension, the project is at the service of the neighbors, giving rise to a chain of interior and exterior spaces that can be adapted to different uses and that foster a domestic and inclusive relationship with the community space.

Renovation and extension of a hybrid café and art space La Musette by graal. Photograph by Clément Guillaume.
 

Project description by graal

The transformation of this former miners' café on the outskirts of Douai, a precious community space that is both ordinary and imbued with history, is an opportunity to revitalize a village by making this project part of a cultural and social dynamic based on the local and solidarity economy.

At the crossroads of the village of Guesnain, dotted with workers’ cottages and former farms, La Musette, a hybrid of café, local grocery store, third-party venue and art space, stands out in the public space with its renovated facade, a testament to local architecture. Red and beige bricks, white joints, large bay windows and chiselled patterned ornamentation define a uniform volume forming an urban and material continuity. The original building has been completely remodeled through a simple design that leaves room for multiple possible modifications of use. At the rear of the main building is a large, sky-lit showroom whose volume has been reconstituted in reused brick. The brick walls extend, complete or simplify the existing structure, then become a simple enclosure sheltering a garden with a sought-after interiority.


Renovation and extension of a hybrid café and art space La Musette by graal. Photograph by Clément Guillaume.

Through an eco-design and auto-construction approach, the renovation of this building complex was based on the material characteristics of the existing structure, repairing it without altering it by using traditional construction principles and choosing to make maximum use of the materials available on site (bricks, joinery, furniture). The design of this transformation is also strongly based on the local and bio-sourced economy: 18T of reused bricks, ITI in lime-hemp combining an earth-straw rendering and recycled absorbent cotton for the current insulation have been used.

Designed to host cultural events with a regional dimension, La Musette is above all a "facility" at the service of local residents, whose interior and exterior spaces can be adapted to suit different uses and events. From the improvised public terrace on the square, through the bar, the local grocery store and the large hall, to the back garden, the building offers a chain of spaces and devices conducive to an almost domestic and inclusive appropriation of this communal space.

More information

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Architects
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graal architecture. Lead architects.- Carlo Grispello, Nadine Lebeau.
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Project team
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Julia Munarriz.
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Client
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Eric Leleu – La Musette.
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Builder
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Structural work, finishing work.- Dechy
Roofing.- Domice et Tant.
Electricity, SSI.- Wazelec.
Contractor's cooperative.- Toerana.
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Area
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450 sqm.
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Dates
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Study phase.- 2017.
Construction.- 2018-2023.
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Location
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197 rue Oscar Desmaretz, 59287 Guesnain, France.
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Photography
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Graal, founded by Carlo Grispello and Nadine Lebeau, is dedicated to architecture and urban strategies. The firm strives to enhance the qualities of uses, ways of dwelling and project materiality.

The firm’s projects are developed through an analytical and sensitive approach to give a real place to the role of territorial investigation, the public dimension and the economics of project throughout the design phases. Graal aspires to render the specific features of a site and a project commission through a sober, independent and contemporary language. Through an attitude coherent with the context and an investigation on the relational space, the projects carry a positive social and environmental impact.

Graal is committed to dealing with every scale, from interior design to the urban scale project. The office’s practice encompasses France and abroad in close collaboration with multidisciplinary consultants in order to guarantee intelligent and feasible projects. graal has been distinguished on several occasions. In 2016, the office was prizewinner of the ADC Awards and received the Europe 40 under 40 award attributed by the Chicago Athenaeum and the European Urban Centre for Architecture, Art Design and Urban Studies.

Nadine Lebeau. Architect DPLG, graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris la Villette. She joined Atelier Seraji as architect before created graal architecture with Carlo Grispello in 2011. Prizewinner of 40 under 40 in 2016 by the Chicago Athenaeum and the European Urban Centre for Architecture, Art Design and Urban Studies. Named among the 100 young leaders who invent the city of tomorrow by the Choiseul Institute in September 2018.

Carlo Grispello. Architect DPLG, graduate of the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris la Villette. He worked as lead architect for Bruno Mader and as architect for Renzo Piano Building Workshop. Created graal architecture with Nadine Lebeau in 2011.  Associate professor of theories and practices of architectural and urban design at the École Supérieure d’Architecture de Nantes since 2016. Prizewinner of 40 under 40 in 2016 by the Chicago Athenaeum and the European Urban Centre for Architecture, Art Design and Urban Studies.
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Published on: June 11, 2024
Cite: "Domestic and inclusive approach. Renovation and extension of a hybrid café and art space La Musette by Graal architecture" METALOCUS. Accessed
<https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/domestic-and-inclusive-approach-renovation-and-extension-a-hybrid-cafe-and-art-space-la-musette-graal-architecture> ISSN 1139-6415
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