Normandy, France

Surrounded by hedgerows and overlooking Bellême Forest, in the cultivated countryside of Normandy’s Perche region, this cube-like house is set on one-third of a 492-foot-long plot of land—standing in an isolated residential area.

Design concept and solution: A minimalist cube of 861 square feet, the house is clad in black tinted wooden panels that respond to the woodland environment. There is just one opening on each side judiciously oriented for views and light, and highlighted in white. Framed in wood, the walls of the house are lined with high performance thermal insulation.

Inside, the main, double-height living area comprises an open kitchen, dining, bathroom, and living room with a fireplace. A large bay window on the south side brings in sunlight and serves to seemingly expand the space. A more private level has two bedrooms, one treated as a large open loft space, and a bathroom.

A few trees decorate the driveway and create a filter between the house and the lane outside. Simplicity was the goal, combined with a practical space detailed in quality, high-performance materials.

People

Owner: Mr. Frédéric Pompeani and Mrs Cécile Fournier

Completion Date: November 2009

Gross square footage: 80 m² net floor area

Total construction cost: 120 000 € excl. VAT

Architect:
Beckmann-N’Thépé
5, rue d’Hauteville 75010
Paris, France
T/ +33 (0)1 48 24 48 40 
F/ +33 (0)1 48 24 02 09
info@b-nt.biz

Personnel in architect's firm who should receive special credit:
Project manager: Nicolas Gaudard

Architect: Laura Giovannetti

Assistant architects: Mathilde Billet, Arthur Billaut, Thimothée Kazmierczak

Architect of record:
Aldric Beckmann & Françoise N’Thépé

Consultants:
Masonry, wood structure:
GUILLET S.A. (Le Pin-la-Garenne, 61, France)

Excavation:
ZUNINO (Saint Mard-de-Réno,61, France)

Plastery:
NICOBAT (Saint Léger-sur Sarthe,61, France)

Electricity: LEON

Plumbing, ventilation:
CHARDEL (Belleme, 61, France)

Windows:
MGP (Mortagne-au-Perche, 61, France

Photographer(s)
Stephan Lucas
+33 (0)6 82 90 15 67
stephan.lucas@free.fr

Renderer(s):
Beckmann-N’Thépé

CAD system, project management, or other software used:
CAD, Photoshop, Sketchup

 

Products

Structural system:
Wood (pine)

Exterior cladding
Wood:
Douglas pinewood + black paint finish + Insulation 150 mm

Roofing
Metal: Zinc + 40 mm insulation

Glazing
Glass: Double glazed windows

Doors
Entrances: Single door in exotic wood

Wood doors: Pinewood

Interior finishes
Acoustical ceilings and walls: plaster

Cabinetwork and custom woodwork:
One level plywood stairs

Paneling: plywood (pine)

Floor and wall tile:
Integrated heating floor system

Plumbing:
Electric water heater, ceramic equipments