When tasked with adding space, functionality and light to a small-ish apartment on Montmartre- the tallest hill in Paris-, architect Alex Delaunay embraced the neighborhood’s stair culture (the local Metro has a 112-step spiral staircase, Montmartre’s Rue Foyatier has 300 steps) and created a multifunctional staircase wall to celebrate the “local climbing culture”.

After opening up the apartment by removing all the non-structural partitions, Delaunay (of SABO projects) took advantage of the apartments’ longest space to create a multi-use structure housing a small office, closet and geometrical storage stairs leading up to the former-attic-turned bedroom.

The furniture wall also has a window to allow daylight to pass from one side of the building to the other. The rounded stairs are sculpted from MDF (medium-density fibreboard) for a highly sculptural and affordable construction.

Located on the top floor of a seven-story walk-up, the apartment’s walls were cluttered with chimney flues from the apartments below (common in Haussmann-era buildings). Delaunay opened up the walls between the flues to add storage space.

In the kitchen the architect opened up more space between flues for cabinets. In contrast with the all-white walls and brushed stainless steel countertops the floors reflect the owner’s career in fashion (working with color swatches): it’s covered in 25 natural rubber strips in 14 different colors.