Village House Refurbishment in Toulouse by marc

Adaptive Reuse and Historic Preservation in Southern France

Located in the historic heart of a village south of Toulouse, this village house refurbishment by marc carefully negotiates between architectural heritage, contemporary living, and landscape connection. Adjacent to the former city wall and overlooking the Garonne River, the project reimagines a traditional house through sensitive restoration, spatial reorganization, and structural intervention, while preserving the material identity of the region.

Reinterpreting a Historic Village House

The existing building is organized over two levels with contrasting atmospheres. The street-facing level, exposed to noise and activity, originally contained the main living areas, while the garden-facing level offered quietness and expansive views. Prior to renovation, the living and dining spaces were semi-buried, poorly lit, and disconnected from the garden. Above, an underused attic and three bedrooms occupied the upper floor, limiting spatial quality and daylight access.

The renovation strategy reversed this hierarchy. By relocating the primary living spaces upstairs, the architects capitalized on sunlight, views, and direct access to the garden, transforming the house into a light-filled contemporary dwelling rooted in its historic context.

Spatial Transformation and Structural Strategy

To enable this shift, one of the existing bedrooms was demolished, allowing its footprint to be absorbed into the attic volume. This intervention created a generous double-height living space, visually and spatially connecting multiple levels of the house. A new master suite was positioned on the garden side, reinforcing the relationship between private spaces and landscape, while the attic was converted to house an additional bedroom and a home office.

One of the project’s most significant architectural gestures was the demolition of a 10-meter-long load-bearing wall to open the interior toward the garden. A new structural system—comprising two beams supported by three reinforced concrete columns—was introduced to stabilize the building while enabling full transparency. The existing roof structure, previously at risk of collapse, was entirely replaced and deliberately left exposed, reinforcing the dialogue between old and new.

Material Honesty and Vernacular Architecture

Throughout the refurbishment, the architects prioritized material authenticity and regional identity. Layers of plaster were removed to reveal original brick and pebble walls, characteristic of the vernacular architecture of the Toulouse region. These exposed surfaces provide tactile depth and historical continuity while contrasting with contemporary insertions.

Thermal performance was significantly improved through the installation of external sarking insulation using wood wool, ensuring energy efficiency without compromising the building’s character. Large anodized aluminum bay windows fully open the house to a Douglas fir wooden terrace, blurring the boundary between interior and exterior and framing uninterrupted views toward the garden and river landscape.

A galvanized steel spiral staircase, soon to be installed, will provide access to the attic level, adding a lightweight industrial element that complements the exposed structure and historic masonry.

A Contemporary Home Rooted in History

The Village House Refurbishment exemplifies a thoughtful approach to historic renovation and adaptive reuse, where architectural transformation enhances spatial quality, environmental performance, and everyday living without erasing the past. By working with the existing structure, materials, and setting, marc delivers a project that balances heritage preservation with contemporary residential design, offering a renewed model for rural and village housing in southern France.

Project Information

  Architects: marc Location: Toulouse, France Year: 2024 Program: Residential refurbishment Focus: Restoration, adaptive reuse, historic preservation