In Madagascar, a house entirely designed by an artist-architect

Monday 25th November 2024 06:59 AM

A mixture of genres that he also cultivates in his house in Antananarivo. This in fact brings together a traditional residence from the beginning of the 20th century and a contemporary extension completed two years ago, again imagined as a concrete monolith. The whole thing stands out, especially in this district located on the heights of Madagascar where this type of architecture is unusual to say the least. “It’s my first manifesto, it’s the combination of two stories. In this house, the idea is to go as far as possible. » Joël Andrianomearisoa designed everything there, from the fireplaces to the staircases, from the bathroom to the dresser housing his collection of tableware. The exterior consists only of a terrace with the only plant element being a frangipani. Here, the view takes in the entire city. In addition to the artist’s house, his studio, where around ten people work, offers an equally minimalist aesthetic.

A view of the studio entrance on the ground floor. The table and the textile work are signed by the designer.

Spread over two levels, in a house from the 1970s, it brings together a reception area on the ground floor, offices upstairs, archives but also a materials library with fabrics from around the world and a prototyping place. On the floor, the original tiles have been replaced by concrete, a constant that can also be found in the bathroom, just like the artist’s chairs and tables which also furnish the space here. These are therefore three places that respond to each other, like a total work. “What I am doing today is a kind of demonstration that architecture can absolutely coexist with art,” concludes the artist.

History of Families, Jusqu’au March 16, 2025, Hakanto Contemporary, Antananarivo, Madagascar, free entry. hakantocontemporary.org

The dining room gives pride of place to materials by mixing wood, metal and concrete. In the background, the fireplace was designed by Joël Andrianomearisoa as was the table. The chairs are by Philippe Starck. On the wall, a painting by Alexandre Gourçon whose aesthetic perfectly matches the minimalist spirit of the house.

In the winter living room, a metal sofa signed by contemporary Malagasy artist Richianny Ratovo coexists with a wooden column by Alexandre Gourçon and a coffee table (Habitat).

In the large room of his house, metal chairs by Joël Andrianomearisoa sit alongside a wooden chair found at the Antananarivo market.

The contrast in materials is striking between the raw concrete extension and the traditional house with its wooden staircase.

Senegal