Revolutionary sustainable housing project unveiled in Villy by Madeleine Architects

At the end of a road, an old house built by the grandfather of three grandchildren stands in the middle of a plot. The three grandchildren have inherited the land and all want to live there. To make this possible, the project management team has organized several meetings to discuss and share ideas. Through this participatory approach, the architects and clients have created a relationship between needs and answers. Three entities, initially independent, have come together to form a collective and cooperative intention. The existing house is the core of the project, the centre of gravity around which the new living units revolve. Like a vital organ, it contains the technical components necessary for the functioning of the new structure that surrounds it. Upstairs, the hollowed space remains a reminder of the past, offering a new and ever-changing place to inhabit.

The new construction divides its relationship to the ground into three distinct mineral entities, providing living rooms and individual private terraces. Upstairs, the lack of clear boundaries allows the rooms to be rearranged between the units to accommodate the changing needs of single families. A common belt connects the families with a single BLC structure, demonstrating the interplay of the spans and their resulting force. The existing house and the new construction interact and influence each other like a parergon, creating an interstice between the private and common spaces. This interface presents a range of devices necessary for understanding the boundaries of communal living, such as gateways and steps that fill the void essential for this dialogue.

Architects: Madeleine architectes, Studio François Nantermod

Area: 400 m²

Year: 2022

Photographs: Séverin Malaud