collectif encore transforms farm ruin into playful, lively house in south-western france

french architecture office collectif encore has transformed an old farm in south-western france into ‘hourré’, a playful, lively house full of outdoor spaces and intricate nooks. various buffer zones between interior and exterior areas of the house, including sheltered terraces, a large opening on the roof, and an open bathroom, integrate the project into the surrounding landscape. the home is complete with two construction safety nets, one inside and the other out, which double as balustrades and hammocks for residents to rest on, read, or observe the night sky.images by michel bonvin and collectif encore

collectif encore revived the ruined, two-story farmhouse with respect to its existing features, including the collapsed roof, which they kept intact by turning the living space below it into a double height room topped with a large skylight. by integrating bioclimatic principles in the design of the building, the french architects managed to create different microclimates throughout the house. in winter, direct sun heats the 80-cm-thick stone walls, which transform the house into a real stove. at the same time, during the summer, the uninsulated walls maintain a fresh, cool atmosphere inside.

‘when we started the project, one of the main questions we had to answer was, “how to renovate a 700 sqm farm with a reduced budget?”, one rule: do the least possible and create 50% outdoor spaces,’ notes collectif encore. intermediate spaces, including covered terraces, the double-height living/dining room, and the open bathroom, blur the boundaries between inside and outside. surrounded on three sides, the sunny open bathroom is sheltered from the wind, allowing residents to enjoy outdoor showers all year round or take a bath under the starry sky.

spaces and furniture inside the house transform to serve several purposes throughout the day. a staircase is also a place to sit, another doubles as a nightstand, and a 25 sqm bathroom also serves as a living room, playroom, or whatever its residents want it to be. in ‘hourré’, people and the surrounding landscape become part of the house, which leaves room for its inhabitants (humans, insects, trees, birds, flowers and earthworms) to reinvent it on a daily basis.