pan architecture adds a geometric family residence to rolling french fields

marseille-based firm, pan architecture, designed a family home in the small town of gréasque, in provence, france. located in a rural environment largely covered by oak and pine trees, the project lies at the edge of a housing development and a forest. the proposal takes advantage of the site’s morphology and strong, natural topography.

pan architecture played on the variations of the surrounding houses, and created a project that stands out from the uniform, standardized ‘provençal’ typology. a simple linear geometry placed on a hill makes it possible to use the climatic and visual qualities of the site. the project aims to make the rugged site habitable by protecting itself from the major winds, the mistral, and by opening towards the landscape. 

due to the plot’s size and its proximity to the neighbors, the house was built at the northern limit, to provide more privacy. the openings are oriented north towards the view of the local mountain, the sainte-victoire, and south towards a green and wide garden. this ‘sainte victoire – jardin’ axis as the architects call it, becomes the guideline of the project. 

the traditional archetype of sloping roofs, found in the surrounding homes, is reimagined for the project. the two main axes split the volume into two distinct parts. the north-facing house is stable, protective, massive and solid, while the south-facing house is more frivolous, light and empty. this compositional dynamic values internal and external relationships.

highlighting the expertise of local craftsmanship, the project plays with the concrete’s expressiveness. rolled out with a high level of knowledge, this rough white architectural concrete creates a deep relation between the project and the limestone environment. its monolithic aspect creates an effect of mass and tension specific to the fiction of the place. the home maintains a magnified relationship to the landscape: an open house with an unusually geometric shape amidst the french fields.

project info:

architects: pan architecture

location: town of gréasque, in provence, france

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: cristina gomez | designboom