a r s c a s u s: Modern villa "Le Trident" by Barry Dierks

23.8.15

Modern villa "Le Trident" by Barry Dierks

Cannes, France

Studio 4a Architekten, after a change of ownership in 2011, renovated the villa Le Trident

near Theoule-sur-Mer, near Cannes, France. The villa was designed and built by American

architect Barry Dierks in 1926. It was one of several residences he built from 1925 to the

1950s on the French Riviera. The update affected mostly the internal redevelopment:

most of the internal partitions were demolished, while the exterior was almost

completely preserved. Elegance and simplicity characterize the renovated villa.

4a Architekten transformed a 1926 Barry Dierks villa into an airy escape on the French Riviera

On the ground floor of the villa there is a living room, library, two guest bedrooms,

an open plan dining room and kitchen, as well as a library and two guest bedrooms.

Upstairs are four en-suite bedrooms. A feature of the interior are teak wooden

cubes, behind which bathrooms and dressing rooms are hidden.

Barry Dierks (1899 - 1960), an American architect of the Modernist movement, built numerous villas along the Cote d’Azur from the 1920s to the 1950s, thus helping to shape the face of the region. His first, Villa Le Trident, was constructed in 1926 and served as Dierk’s and partner Eric Sawyer's home. Today, most of his villas have been listed.

The Villa Le Trident’s idyllic setting in Theoule-sur-Mer, just ten kilometres west of Cannes, is one of its most impressive features. The villa grounds cover almost 6,000 square metres, stretching over a private peninsula with its own beaches. In 2011, the new owner decided to renovate the building. After retaining the services of 4a Architekten of Stuttgart, the owner tasked them not only with preserving Dierks’s legacy but also with giving the villa a modern feel. Now, the villa’s exterior continues to impress with its white facade, while inside walls have been removed to give the interior a light and airy atmosphere.

Today, the living areas on all the floors merge seamlessly into one. The full length windows at the front of the villa offer guests striking views of the sea and give the rooms a spacious feel, while the white furnishings and glass elements contribute to the ambience.

The ground floor of the 250-metre square house comprises the living-dining area with an open kitchen, with four bedrooms and bathrooms completing the upper storey. Outstanding features include the white furniture, a fireplace suspended from the ceiling and the solid oak planks of the floors. Free-standing cubes clad in teak serve as visual highlights throughout the home. Thanks to their cladding, they bring to mind a ship’s hull, thereby establishing a clear link to the region.