HARDIE
Integrating a Contemporary Home into a Steep Wooded Hillside
The design of the house is carefully shaped by the site’s steep natural topography. The project is organised over three levels, each responding to the existing terrain.
The garage, directly connected to the house, is accessed via a driveway with a gentle 5% gradient. It links to the main living level, positioned slightly below the street and accommodating the principal living spaces. The lower floor follows the natural slope and contains the bedrooms together with the technical areas of the house. The upper level is dedicated to the master suite and a mezzanine, both opening onto a private terrace.
The architectural composition combines flat roofs with gently pitched roofs (12%), reducing the overall visual impact of the building within its wooded setting. From the street, the house remains discreet while expressing a contemporary architectural language. On the garden side, it appears to project out over the slope, supported by a slender steel column that reinforces the impression of lightness. Like a modern treehouse, the living spaces extend into the canopy, offering immersive views through the surrounding woodland.
The interplay of volumes creates generous, light-filled interiors with varied spatial experiences. Natural timber cladding strengthens the dialogue between the architecture and its landscape, while the darker mineral base visually anchors the building to the hillside.
Technical Specifications
- Lower level finished with a fine textured render in an ash-grey colour (Parexlanko G50 or equivalent).
- Upper façades clad in natural Douglas fir or larch timber, with vertical or horizontal boarding according to the architectural design. The timber is protected with a translucent amber wood saturator to preserve its natural appearance.
- The two gently pitched roofs (12%) are finished in pre-weathered zinc.
- The remaining roofs are designed as green roofs, including one extensive roof with approximately 300 mm of growing medium.
- External windows and doors in powder-coated aluminium, pale brown (RAL 8025 or similar).
- Balustrades in galvanised steel with a grey finish (RAL 7015 or similar).
- Copings in pre-weathered zinc or sheet metal finished in RAL 7016.
Spécifications techniques
- Structure: Masonry and timber frame
- Rendered façades combined with natural timber cladding
- The remaining roofs are designed as green flat roofs.
Équipe
Architect : Jean Julien-Laferrière
A bespoke project or a pre-designed model to personalise?
Let's discuss your project and create a home that reflects your lifestyle.
https://www.architectureetbois.com/en/contact/Everything you need to know about Architecture & Bois
What types of architectural projects does Architecture & Bois undertake?
Nous intervenons dans tous types de projets, sans considération d’échelle dès lors que la conception architecturale est au coeur de notre travail.
Chaque projet est unique et trouve sa réponse dans une architecture sur mesure, en parfaite adéquation avec le programme, le site et les attentes du maître d’ouvrage. En revanche, nous n’intervenons pas sur des projets de rénovation sans extension ni transformation architecturale significative.
Which regions do you work in?
We design projects throughout France and internationally. Our practice is most active in the Greater Paris region and the Rhône-Alpes region, where we have offices. Construction supervision is entrusted to trusted local project managers, either from our network of partners or based in the region where the project is located.
Why hire an architect to design a bespoke home?
Hiring an architect means choosing a home designed entirely around your needs, lifestyle, site, budget and aspirations. Every project is unique, carefully balancing architectural quality, functionality, performance, durability and long-term property value.