Maison SurLeMur by ARBA: A House That Blends Heritage and Modernity

Nestled in the quiet suburb of Fontenay-sous-Bois, France, Maison SurLeMur by ARBA is an architectural reflection on continuity, memory, and light. Completed in 2022, this 132-square-meter family residence transforms a constrained urban plot into a poetic dialogue between past and present. The project’s name—literally “House on the Wall”—captures its defining feature: the preservation and reinterpretation of the original boundary wall that shapes the entire design concept.

Architectural Concept and Context

Set along a narrow street, the dwelling aligns itself directly with the existing stone wall at the edge of the property. Rather than demolishing this historic barrier, the architects at ARBA decided to integrate it as a central architectural element. The wall serves as a masonry base from the street view, grounding the architecture in its local context and echoing the textures of traditional French suburban landscapes.

By building along this linear boundary, ARBA maximized the site's potential while maintaining a sense of privacy and intimacy. This gesture establishes a visual continuity with the neighborhood’s vernacular structures and allows for a fluid transition between private and public realms.

Material Expression and Facade Composition

The house is crowned by a 30-degree double-sloped roof clad in red pigmented zinc, whose warm tones reflect the hues of surrounding clay tiles and brick structures. This roof form anchors the project in its suburban setting while introducing a crisp, contemporary profile.

Between the roof’s two slopes, vertical larch wood slats act as both a sun filter and a visual screen. Their rhythm and orientation—rotating subtly from west to east—create a kinetic facade that changes appearance throughout the day as sunlight grazes the surface. The slats allow natural light to penetrate the interiors while maintaining privacy from adjacent plots, meeting urban regulations without compromising openness or comfort.

Behind this tactile wooden veil, black pine resin-coated cladding provides a dark, textured background, highlighting the warmth and craftsmanship of the natural wood elements. The interplay of blackened surfaces and raw timber creates a strong architectural identity—one that feels rooted, crafted, and timeless.

Spatial Design and Interior Atmosphere

Inside, ARBA conceived Maison SurLeMur as a sequence of spaces that shift from grounded to elevated, from enclosed to open. The upper floor, where common living spaces are located, acts as a bright observatory overlooking the Vergers de l’Îlot, an orchard-like garden landscape to the northeast. This elevated area becomes a stage set against the luminous belt of wood and zinc, capturing filtered views toward the public domain.

This configuration transforms the everyday experience of domestic life into an act of observation—of light, nature, and urban movement. The interiors balance minimalism with warmth, prioritizing natural light, long sightlines, and material authenticity.

Sustainability and Urban Integration

Beyond aesthetics, Maison SurLeMur embodies a mindful approach to urban sustainability. By reusing the existing masonry wall, the design minimizes waste while preserving the tangible memory of place. The use of locally available wood, durable zinc roofing, and natural resins further reinforces the project’s environmental responsibility.

The home’s compact footprint and careful orientation also optimize energy performance. Cross-ventilation, solar shading from the wooden battens, and natural insulation all contribute to reduced energy consumption and a comfortable indoor climate year-round.

A Contemporary Poetic Statement

Maison SurLeMur stands as a thoughtful example of contextual architecture—a home that respects its surroundings while asserting a clear, modern identity. ARBA’s architectural language blends restraint with expressiveness, transforming everyday materials into a rhythmic composition of light, texture, and shadow.

From the street, the preserved wall and red zinc roof root the home in local history. From within, the interplay of raw materials, filtered daylight, and spatial transitions evokes calm introspection. The result is more than a house; it is an architectural narrative about permanence, adaptation, and the quiet beauty of place.

All the photographs are works of Jérémie Léon