NRAV architects' treehouse proposal reclaims the ruins of a french castle

an overgrown french château combined with a contemporary timber structure. that’s what nicole reamey and andrew vichosky of NRAV architects proposes with their entry to young architects tree house module competition. the international competition, launched by dartagnans, called for architects and designers to develop a treehouse concept for three castle sites in rural france: vibrac, mothe chandeniers and ebaupinay.

the approach

images courtesy of NRAV architects

NRAV’s entry, which was awarded a finalist accolade, looks at the site of vibrac castle. the treehouse proposal seeks to re-contextualize the ruins of the castle by leaving a clue as to how and why they came into being. ‘visitors to vibrac encounter a mysterious ruin, hidden in the trees on a small island and overgrown with vines and moss. as one explores the stone walls it is easy to wonder for what purpose they were built. who lived here and how long ago?’ – NRAV architects

treehouse module

the ruins at vibrac were once pieces of a medieval castle wall. the castle was built between the 14th and 15th century AD as a fortified estate and endured throughout the 100 years war. the perimeter stone wall still stands as a reminder of the past, but the tall turrets and wooden roofs have been lost over time. NRAV’s treehouse module brings back the image of the wooden roof soaring above the treetops. signalling the castle’s presence to the villages beyond and calling out to visitors as they approach.

ground module

castle roofs from this time were often built with heavy timber trusses overlaid with purlins and shingles. NRAV’s design therefore uses modern materials and construction techniques to evoke these tectonics of the past. the treehouse module is composed of prefabricated glulam scissor trusses with a timber purlin screen. these wooden elements form the exterior of the building like an exoskeleton, celebrating and highlighting timber construction. 

living space

a glass enclosure is suspended within the wooden exoskeleton allowing views out through the structure to the landscape beyond. the timber purlin screen provides privacy and protection from the sun. the windows are operable to allow in fresh air during good weather while curtains provide an additional layer of privacy. an exterior porch is suspended below.

sauna

the tower also is composed of an inner and outer layer. the outer layer provides structural support and is a framework for climbing vines. the inner layer houses the vertical circulation modules as well as the program module. the procession up the tower allows views out to the landscape and to the ruins below. the WC, shower and storage are housed within a central module with the sleeping loft above. this layout frees up the perimeter of the space for the lounge and views.

concept sketch

the ground dwelling module shares the same form of the treehouse module and the base houses a sauna. over time, vines will grow up the columns and it will become a part of the castle ruins – like a roof that has survived the centuries.

plans

site plan

sections

exploded axonometric

project info:

project title: lost roof

architecture: NRAV architects (nicole reamey and andrew vichosky)

competition: tree house module

organizer: young architects competition (YAC)

location: france

client: dartagnans

year: 2020

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom