52 DIGS.NET
| 10.29.2021
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P R O F I L E | M O N TA L B A A R C H I T E C T S
ONTALBA ARCHITECTS, HEADED David Montalba, FAIA (Found-
ing principal), with offices in Los Angeles and Lausanne,
Switzerland, and Nuno Ravara (Principal, Lausanne), is
on an upward spiral. Its Riviera Loft, which saw the firm
transform a historical, exposed, three-story space into
multi-family residences, with a special focus on the pent-
house, is a monumental case in point, with its centrally-situated
staircase exerting dominance in the space, serving the practical
purpose of allying its three floors and the more aesthetic intent of
stopping one cold. Its absolute supremacy in the space supports
the juxtaposition of old and new to form something entirely, even
radically, unique.
Ensconced inside a 19th century shell, "The loft's program was
split by levels, in addition to two concepts that we worked on
throughout the project development, the first being the desire to
keep the existing open feel of the space," explain the architects,
noting that achieving this meant enclosing different program-
matic elements within separate independent structures, while
leaving the "in-between space" as the non-programmatic area
M
