U15 Novello Eligio

Description

The building is located east of the old village of La Forclaz, on the last construction line overlooking Les Haudères. Despite its small size, the larchwood volume presents its compact mass in traditional style. It stands on a concrete foundation and is protected by a broad roof: the archetype of the chalet. The openings are calibrated for optimal views of the scenic surroundings. They are in a modern kind of harmony with the sweeping landscape and the mountain summits: one window opens to the west and the sunset, the living room and master bedroom look onto the old village, and one window is oriented eastward, looking directly toward the Dent Blanche. There are other small facade openings elsewhere. The interiors are shaped by immutable materials; the 15-cm-thick fir floors provide spatial unity. The house consists of corridors and scenic backdrops, where making small things seem bigger becomes a kind of game: each room can be transformed by moving sliding partitions. The transitions between the spaces are hence fluid. Outside, a wide terrace acts as an extension of the interior toward the village and the Alpine backdrop, ending the anchoring of the small volume in its larger context.