French office Studio mAAb has transformed a single-storey apartment in the city of Rennes into a duplex by incorporating a pair of wooden volumes and a mezzanine walkway into the former attic space.

Studio mAAb updated the interior of the top-floor apartment for a couple with a child who wanted a space that can evolve to meet their changing needs.
The studio opened up part of the building's attic to create a double-height interior that increases the sense of space within the open-plan living area.
The wooden elements are elevated above the lounge and kitchen spaces, framing a void that extends up to the apex of the roof.

"Clad in timber, the two volumes at either end reinforce the double-height reading of the space and generate a sense of suspension," said the architects. "The concept allows for evolution as one of the wood inserts can be transformed into another bedroom in the future."

A newly created space between the wooden forms contains a quiet study that overlooks the living area below and is illuminated by skylights on either side of the pitched roof.
The lower level also accommodates a bedroom and shower room that are tucked away to one side of the main space.
A staircase featuring open risers and wooden treads with a minimal steel balustrade provides access to the upper level and functions as a spatial divider between the lounge and the kitchen.

The building dates from the beginning of the 1900s and, wherever possible, the architects sought...