Les Abouts
The residence’s name comes from the story of one of its two inhabitants, who grew up on the family-owned farm. His parents eventually left him a sizable land area that they could not cultivate. Literally meaning the “far end,” Les Abouts remained unoccupied for quite some time. After the owner spent a few years abroad, it became clear to him that he should inhabit the parcel he had inherited. As art collectors, he and his partner dreamed of a spacious house in which to live among their pieces.
The layout is arranged in two areas, one private and the other common, along a central axis. The private section stretches to border the nearby river. Covered by a thin roof, it levitates among the trees. Housing the master bedroom, bathrooms and the kitchen, it is completely open to the surrounding nature. A screen room prolonging the volume and overlooking the ferns blurs the line between inside and outside.
In contrast, the double-height common room resembles a gallery while highlighting the verticality of the forest. A space serving as a guest bedroom and a library are suspended form the roof, leaving the walls untouched. With its varied atmospheres, the house becomes a domestic haven of nature and art.
