In the Escarpment

- May 08, 2019

Insert yourself gently into nature. Let yourself be penetrated by the light. On this wooded lot, long considered too difficult to build, the architects turned the pitfalls into trumps. In the escarpment, floats now a pavilion of glass and wood that blends into the landscape.

A fragmented implementation has been favored here in order to limit the impact of the building on the slope. Designed for a couple, the project consists of three blocks of housing built on a small plateau below the path and connected to it only by a bridge.

A first block, placed vertically, stands on three floors. At the top is the main entrance and the suite of the owners; a corner desk / library is arranged at the intermediate level while the level garden level houses a relaxation area, sauna and spa, indoor and outdoor. From the lower floor, we access directly to the forest floor.

A second horizontal block, concrete casing back to the slope, houses the guest rooms. Finally, building on the two blocks, a third totally glazed volume brings together living spaces, kitchen, living room and dining room. The way in which the three elements fit together has resulted in two terraced roofs that extend the living spaces while creating rare plateaus in the escarpment leading to the lake.

The palette of materials used outdoors unites the house with the ubiquitous forest. Corten steel and mahogany windows evoke the tints of ever-changing trees and foliage; the deconstructed concrete is similar to the big rocks, characteristics of this site.

Inside, everything is made of wood and clear glass. Shadow and light reign, transforming the place according to the hours and the seasons.