Year: 2021
Category: Housing
Country/ City: France, Aix le Bain
Status: Finished
The project is located in Aix-les-Bains, a picturesque small town nestled between Lyon and Geneva. It is situated in a neighborhood characterized by two to three story villas, on a flat terrain surrounded by existing stone walls, which have been preserved along with the pre-existing fruit trees and large pine trees.
The development consists of two individual houses, identical in architecture. Integrating the buildings into the local context, by respecting the area’s traditional architecture and reinterpreting it in a contemporary form using modern materials, has been a key aspect of the design approach.
The buildings are composed of two simple, regular volumes, interlocked with each other. The main volume is topped with a gabled roof, while the secondary one connects to a smaller cubic volume.
The load-bearing structure is made of a wooden frame, while the interior components are constructed with prefabricated elements, in accordance with French construction standards and the RT 2012 regulations. Depending on their orientation, the façades are treated with different materials.
The dominant material is matte dark gray zinc, which covers both the gabled roof and the lateral façades of the main volume, framing it visually. Untreated natural larch wood is used partially on the side volumes and in selected façade areas. Over time, this material develops a natural gray patina, blending harmoniously with the Alpine context.
The surrounding landscape is organized with low grass and shrubs, keeping the focus on the preserved existing trees, which form an essential part of the local ecosystem’s identity.