SOUTH BAY DIGS | Digital Edition Online

32 DIGS.NET | 6.11.2021 P R O F I L E | S E S S U N A L M A A R C H I T E C T U R E + D E S I G N I n the lively district of Marseille, there is a shop that contains multitudes. Called Sessun Alma, the concept is sunny, craft- centric, a place for creative flourishing. The brand itself suggests the shop as the "soul of a place, a city, a sea that crosses all borders" as it is the "soul of objects, of the hands that shape them, of the bodies and clothing that give them form." This temple to artisans, artists, limited editions and seasonal cuisine was designed by Marion Bernard, an architectural firm also based in Marseille, whose architects Manon Gaillet, Sylvain B rard and Fanny Camerlo are accompanied by artist Romain Magail and collaborating architect David Bavard. Together this collective set out to "design a tool," as they describe it, a "support to serve as a showcase for Mediterranean craftsmanship, and a whole art of living." Located in an old soap-making factory on rue Sainte, Sessun Alma breaks down into several moments. At the entrance to the street is a space dedicated to the brand's fashion collaborations with different themes every three months. Next is a restaurant area, which is purposely positioned to receive natural light that arrives from the south and floods the space with warmth and welcome. At the back of the shop, the courtyard showcases all manner of decorative objects, from tableware to shoes, with a feel for the unique. Then a huge glass roof. On a central massive stone table are books and magazines on architecture, pottery, photography and the Mediterranean lifestyle. The team paints a lovely picture of one leafing through this material while perched on the large steps, "as if sitting on a porch, watching the people come and go." The beauty of Sessun Alma—and it is beautiful—is its simplicity. It is thoughtful yet uncomplicated, with a lovely intelligence that feels light. As a piece of architecture, however, the space in its previous condition presented Marion Bernard with a volume that, "while quite large, was very dark because overloaded." The team's first intention, therefore, was to "make it breathe, make it more readable, brighter, more ventilated." Noting the handsome solid wood porte-cochere that opens onto the street, at the top of a few steps, they say, "We decided to work on the plan as an interior street leading to a courtyard." An inhabited, lively, Mediterranean courtyard, at that, whose "solid brick-colored floor is reminiscent of the dirt floors of the hidden patios." To respond to the lack of natural light, they designed the glass roof. "The diffusing light suggests that the bottom is inhabited, that there is still a depth to be discovered. Very large steps are arranged all along this canopy. They serve the journey, the progression in space. They also represent spontaneous sitting in the shade of trees." The mineral-inspired materials inside the space also evoke the natural world. Plaster, lime, and concrete in different applications, from dry and rough to smooth and matte, were selected to highlight the different textiles and objects. Solid wood and ashlar adds warmth. "These materials are those of our region, the Mediterranean," the

• Cover