Ludmila Pernot: a blend of discretion and application

Meet Ludmila Pernot, the founder of the Parisian agency APA architecture, to discover her various achievements as well as the furniture she creates for her projects.

Ludmila Pernot founded APA architecture in 1998. Since then, the architect has acquired a great deal of expertise and designed a multitude of projects. These projects, of different scales, bear witness to the versatility but also the vigour of this woman, who has always produced discreet and delicate creations.

In her agency on the 4th floor of 7 rue Paul Bert, in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, Ludmila Pernot expertly manages a small team whose work focuses on timber frame construction, major renovation and interior design. Despite their understated style, the various projects of the APA architecture agency are characterised by that little something that makes all the difference. Here, we experience no gratuitous gestures or imposing forms, but on the contrary witness appropriate aims and adjusted operations. The architect, who collaborated with Jacotey-Voyatzis on embassy projects from 1998 to 2010 and contributed to the formalisation and development of the Hermès store concept with the RDAI agency from 2000 to 2006, makes no secret of her penchant for woodwork. Surrounded by photos of her various projects of different sizes, the architect, who receives me with a smile, details her achievements with seriousness, accompanied by a touch of humour. Let's discover together a selection of projects that show the agency's rich production.

Leather school in Pantin

In Pantin, a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, a luxury goods group wanted to set up its new leather school in a former disused printing works. The location is strategic. Situated in a very working-class neighbourhood, the building is next to the Espace Jean-Louis Dumas, a venue for the presentation of collections to buyers and for commercial events. Town planning regulations obliged the architect to keep most of the wooden framework. The operation therefore consisted of preserving the latter and digging a basement to install the requested programme. The entire plot is occupied by the building. As a result, the complex has only one facade. However, the internal work is considerable. The large interior volume has been remodelled so that the different work areas benefit from visual ‘breathing spaces’, offering fluid communication. The interior design work is also evident in the cubicle furniture designed to create areas for rest and socialising. The project was complex and time-consuming, but the end result is nothing short of brilliant.

Reception pavilion of the Versailles equestrian centre

Located at 59, rue Rémont, in Versailles, this equestrian centre is set in a natural environment with few buildings, adjacent to the national forest. The building accommodated the teams during the training and events of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, as well as club members and the public. The reception pavilion consists of a restaurant, a relaxation and meeting area, and changing rooms. It is a building with a discreet architecture. It has a simple volumetry and showcases a number of refined features. Standing on the edge of the embankment overlooking the quarry, the pavilion is distinguished by its horizontality and nestles delicately among a grove of tall trees. Set on a concrete slab designed on micropiles, due to the low bearing capacity of the soil, the exposed wooden frame is made of glued spruce laminated wood. A rectangular shape made up of insulated wooden boxes covered with wooden cladding and full-height sliding folding glass frames slides under the frame. The south and north facades are clad in openwork Douglas fir batten wood cladding with colourless saturator. The restaurant is located in the centre of the building, while a sheltered terrace made of heat-treated pine decking with non-slip grooves descends in tiers to the quarry to accommodate the public. The project respects the natural environment in which it is located. In fact, no trees were cut down and no earthworks were carried out that could alter the terrain. The building's purpose remains unchanged after the Olympic Games and is a little marvel with many qualities.

House of the Sea

Located in the French West Indies, in Saint-Barthélemy, the work on this house started in 1987. However, the complex has undergone many transformations on several occasions. The APA agency intervened in 2013 to enlarge it with the addition of an extension on the entrance side and an elevation on the sea side. This was meticulous work, that respects the various specific constraints of the island. After the passing of cyclone Irma in 2018, the agency intervened again, this time to consolidate the seafront facade and to build a swimming pool and a wave barrier. A complete renovation was also necessary because the whole building had been badly damaged by the flooding. It was decided to keep the original black and white decoration, while personalising it with the addition of natural materials. Similarly, the architect ensured that elements of the client's history were integrated into the project, such as the wooden front door. Other interventions by local artists enhance the premises. The revigorated house is now ready to write a new story.

House in Saint-Louis

Now used to welcome and accommodate the company's employees and partners, the former home of the director of the Saint-Louis crystal works (Saint-Louis is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France, close to the border with Germany, Ed.) has been skilfully redesigned by the APA architecture agency. The historic residence, with its rich history, had fallen into disuse and required major renovation. This task was entrusted to the architect Ludmila Pernot. The client wanted to retain the appearance of the house, so the architect's intervention was both useful and subtle. It was necessary to respect the existing structure while giving the whole a new lease of life. Ludmila Pernot favoured local materials. While the plant-patterned wallpaper is a nice wink to the nearby forest, others, which are more geometric, are reminiscent of crystal patterns. Some of the period features have been preserved. The architect also designed several items of furniture, such as the cloakroom and the videoconferencing unit, both made of oak. It should be noted that all the materials and colours chosen are inspired by the location and its history. The whole, which has retained its original appearance, has undergone a subtle and sophisticated transformation.

Raising the roof in Montreuil

In Montreuil, the APA architecture agency was commissioned to build an extension on a house. This was a difficult task, given the request: to start work on an occupied site. For the creative woman Ludmila Pernot is, the choice of a wooden structure was an obvious one. The aim was to keep the existing foundations light, while completing the work in record time. The wooden frame is delicately placed on the house and the pavilion can be seen from afar. After dark, it resembles an illuminated lantern. The project is in keeping with the existing structure thanks to rough, yellow, unplaned thermo-oiled cladding, that is a subtle reference to the millstone. Inside, the partitions and cladding are made of spruce plywood, the same wood as the exposed laminated wood structure. The intervention is subtle and the house has gained in generosity.

And so much more

Ludmila Pernot also creates the furniture found in her designs. Both contemporary and timeless, these exceptional objects, meticulously designed and deployed on different scales and for different functions, form an integral part of the projects. For example, the furniture designed as part of the renovation of the ‘Maison Saint-Louis’, including the cloakroom and the videoconference furniture, both made of oak, harmonise with the period parquet floors. Similarly, at the ‘Ecole du Cuir’ or Leather School, we can discover the tearoom created especially for this project. These are elements that enrich a minimalist architecture characterised by great sensitivity!