Biarritz is often described as the birthplace of surfing in Europe, where the sport arrived in the late 1950s. That laid-back coastal streak now sits alongside a French sense of style. Architects Patrice Gardera and Philippe Pastre drew on both for their biarritz apartment renovation of Sunset, a 1970s flat.
The flat sits on the Côte des Basques and faces the Atlantic. The biarritz apartment renovation aims to evoke the warm glow of a setting sun. It relies on rich materials, natural touches and soft, sculptural forms.
The clients wanted a home that felt like a hotel suite. They also wanted room to relax, entertain and show their collection of vinyl records and contemporary art. The art includes works by Biarritz-based artist Mathieu Chavaren.
The architects also looked closely at the building’s own past. The apartment dates to the early 1970s. It stands at the foot of the cliffs, close to the Carlina Hotel and Le Carlos, a restaurant and bar that helped shape Biarritz’s surf culture.
Like this flat, many 1970s homes were shaped by the outdoors, and mid-century design often works the same way. Mid-Century Marvel: John Yeon’s Cedar-Clad Swan House shows how a home can sit quietly within a lush forest.
Gardera and Pastre told Wallpaper* that the building has a distinctive atmosphere. “There is something of a laid-back Californian feel, almost like a Los Angeles motel transplanted to the Basque coast,” they said. “We wanted to preserve that character rather than erase it with a soulless renovation.”
The design follows simple lines and a way of living that favours the outdoors. The central ritual is watching the sun drop into the ocean each evening.
Losing Walls in a Biarritz Apartment Renovation
The space itself posed the first challenge. At 57 square metres, the apartment was split into small rooms. An enclosed kitchen, an entrance hall and a sleeping area all turned their backs on the view, the flat’s greatest asset.
The team removed those walls to create a 33 square metre living and kitchen space that faces the terraces. The bedroom, dressing room and bathroom then had to fit into what remained. “Making every centimetre count” required bespoke joinery and custom furniture, the architects said.
The work also had to respect the 1970s building and the limits of apartment renovation in a shared residential block on the oceanfront.
Several custom pieces tie the plan together. A rounded bookcase flows directly into the living area. A sliding partition lets the bedroom open onto the living space. A mahogany table anchors the room.
The living area is the architects’ favourite part of the flat. “The building isn’t called Sunset by chance,” Gardera and Pastre said. From the sofa or the kitchen worktop, residents can watch surfers come in from the water while the room fills with evening light. “It’s in those moments that you understand what has made this building so appealing for more than 50 years.”
The result of the biarritz apartment renovation is a sophisticated coastal home that avoids cliché surfing memorabilia. It reads as a story-like setting that balances the building’s past with the present day.
For readers drawn to the coastal side of this renovation, a beach home elsewhere takes a similar approach to light and sea air. Mexican Beach House Fusing Indigenous and Modern Design offers a useful comparison of local materials and contemporary living.
The firm, which runs offices in Paris and Biarritz, describes its work on its website, gardera-pastre.com. It takes on public and private commissions at every scale. Each project, the firm says, is shaped by how the space will be used, its relationship to the site and control of its ecological footprint.
The architects summed up their aim this way: “We hoped to capture something of the feeling of heading down to Le Carlos for a drink after a surf session: the golden light, the sound of the waves and that instinctive desire to slow down.” They wanted the flat to feel like a holiday, while giving its owners a stake in one of Biarritz’s most recognisable corners.
This biarritz apartment renovation shows how a small flat can gain room by losing walls. It also shows that a 1970s building can hold its character while gaining the comforts a modern owner expects.
Via wallpaper.com
Frequently asked questions
Who designed the Sunset flat renovation in Biarritz?
Architects Patrice Gardera and Philippe Pastre designed the renovation of Sunset, a 1970s flat in Biarritz. Their firm has offices in Paris and Biarritz.
How large was the apartment before and after renovation?
The apartment was originally 57 square metres and was split into small rooms. The team removed walls to create a 33 square metre living and kitchen space that faces the terraces.
Where is the Sunset apartment located in Biarritz?
The flat sits on the Côte des Basques and faces the Atlantic. It stands at the foot of the cliffs, close to the Carlina Hotel and Le Carlos.
What did the clients want from the Biarritz apartment renovation?
The clients wanted a home that felt like a hotel suite. They also wanted room to relax, entertain, and show their collection of vinyl records and contemporary art.
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