Philippe Meyer

Description

This project consists of three villas connected by a common garage and raised slightly from the ground by a base, deliberately without a garden level. The three villas accommodate five apartments in each unit and are united by a central entrance. The green, landscaped outdoor areas around the buildings recreate what was formerly a park with no vehicles and nearly no hard surfaces. To limit the impact of the construction, the three units are distributed on the green property with sufficient spacing after the demolition of the present villa. Each villa and each floor plays with transparency and mass, combining uninterrupted masonry and gaps consisting of loggias and glazed areas that can be used in summer and winter alike, combining transparent and enamelled glass. Each villa and each floor plan combination plays with views and natural light, catching a glimpse of the other without offering a direct line of sight and provides a unified impression with a rational palette of materiality. The construction uses a single material, rejecting any gimmicks or façade cladding and combining prefabricated and insulating bricks simply coated with lime plaster. The window frames are timber – solid, framing and defining the privacy of the living area – or metal – for the loggia, minimalist, as open as possible to the light and views. The three villas are situated between the hill and the lake.