On the Île Saint-Germain in the suburbs of Paris the house occupies a small plot of approximately 150 m² surrounded on three sides by other houses, a small trapezoidal piece of land of 8 metres on the longer side, 5 metres on the shorter side by a length of 22 metres.
The ground is in a flood-able area which explains why the first floor of the house is built on higher level.
The liveable surface without the cellar is approximately 210 m² distributed on three floors that visually communicate via the two patios that go through the whole building. These patios allow the natural light at the centre of the house and natural ventilation during the hot season, opening up perspectives that create a sense of spatial openness in spite of the narrowness of the building.
The roof is a terrace from where one can see the two arms of the River Seine.
The combination of in-situ concrete, precast concrete panels and cellular concrete blocks comes from the inherent isolating potential. Any addition of other isolating layers need to be economic in the use of the materials and consequently their environmental impact.
The other materials associated; wood, metal and glass are all recyclable.
On the single facade of the house, orientated south, the big double glazed windows insulated by a special argon gas functions as a temperature regulator: it uses the heat of the sun to warm up the house during winter time and stays perfectly cool during the summer.
The aim in the whole house was to offer a maximum of spatial and luminous generosity by the use of a minimum of materials and to reach a way of construction that takes into account energy concerns without employing high tech solutions that are complex and mostly very expensive at the stage of production.
The realization of this project was only possible thanks to the confidence and availability of the clients from the beginning of its conception until the achievement of the build.
PHOTOGRAPHY : WERNER ZELLIEN
On the basis of the pre-existing structure of a house built several years earlier and left unfinished, the aim was to define in a new project the form and arrangement of the housing functions.
The structure has been left as visible as possible, and the interior organization and choice of materials have been designed as simply as possible to enhance the qualities already inherent in the building.
The result is a generous amount of space despite the relatively small size of the house (130 m²), a maximum opening onto the garden and a great amount of light.
PHOTOGRAPHY : WERNER ZELLIEN
Construction of a detached house in Sèvres in the Parisian suburbs.
The four-storey house (three residential + garage) and has a total surface area of approximately 180m².
Due to the steep inclination of the land, the house is partly underground and opens mainly through large bay windows on its street-side facade to the south.
A vegetated patio provides central lighting and ventilation for living rooms.
Both the garage and cellar are located in the basement. On the ground floor there are two bedrooms, an office, a bathroom, and the entrance; on the first floor, the kitchen and living room and on the second floor, the master bedroom and a bathroom.
Despite the relatively small surface area of the house, the ways in which the spaces are opened and linked offer a multiplicity of perspectives and a complexity of points of view reinforcing the sense of volume.
The materials are simple and mostly natural (wood, steel, glass, concrete), even for building materials (clay bricks, concrete, wood, zinc) to improve living comfort.
PHOTOGRAPHY : WERNER ZELLIEN