lode architecture: d house, brittany, france

‘d house’ by lode architecture, brittany, france

all images courtesy of lode architects

on the banks of the brackish water of a french estuary lies a house that breathes in the warmth of the surrounding woods. startling and elegant dualities characterize estuarine environments, places at the mouth of a river where fresh water meets the saline swirls of ocean water. these unique sites are among the most productive areas on earth. parisian architects jérôme vinçon and arnaud lacoste of lode architecture have sought to create an architecture that reflects these complex conditions. the fecundity of the landscape is expressed in the architectonics of ‘d house’ which include a contrasting skin comprised of untreated live-edge wood and glazing that wraps around the first level. a sizable retaining wall allows for the creation of a hollow space that becomes the conceptual crux of the house. this hearth can be opened to the panorama of the undergrowth; its spaces filled with the rushing sounds of the river and the smell of damp earth. the windowed angles fade into river views and the stone-worked ground trails off into the water’s banks. the second level further creates a blended landscape with wells of light and slivers of landscape peeking through a small succession of living spaces. these wooden trellises make an abstracted composition of forest when the leaves reflect off the abundant glazing. the house flits between dialectical sets, drawing strength through it’s embrace of the confrontational natural elements that characterize the site.