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Villa Varoise

Villa Varoise
© John Horner

VILLA VAROISE

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ARCHITECTS
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LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
Jean Mus

MANUFACTURERS
Bisazza, Boffi, Buschfeld, Cemex, Flaminia, Luce&light, Molto Luce, Much More Than A Window, Porro, Studio Italia Design Lodes, CEA Design, Elumin, KNX, SHUI, Smallbone

MECHANICAL ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS
TPFI

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
ECI, Simpson, Gumpertz & Heger

LIGHTING DESIGNERS
INEDIT

DESIGN PRINCIPAL
Nader Tehrani

GENERAL CONTRACTOR
MAURO

PROJECT MANAGERS
Harry Lowd, Ra; Lisa Lacharité

ASSOCIATE ARCHITECT & INTERIOR DESIGN
Bidard & Raissi

PROJECT TEAM
Rawan Alsane, Tom Beresford, Craig Chapple, Katie Faulkner, Dan Gallagher, John Houser, Ellee Lee, Kevin Lee, Parke Macdowell, Ryan Murphy, Jonathan Palazzolo, Joana Rafael, Caitlin Scott, Tim Wong

FURNITURE CONSULTANTS
Corso Europa

HOME AUTOMATION
Livewire

GARDEN
Atrium & Arhami

PHOTOGRAPHS
John Horner

AREA
490 m²

YEAR
2020

LOCATION
France

CATAGORY
Houses

Text description provided by architect.

In the South of France, sited on a hill of olive trees, pinus pinea, and a vineyard, a family retreat was designed with a mission of maintaining the vitality of the site.

Villa Varoise
© John Horner
Villa Varoise
© John Horner

An agricultural plot, the family’s mission was to cultivate the landscape as part of their stewardship.

The house also needed to respect strict zoning guidelines for regional vernacular materials and construction processes, while leveraging the sloping terrain.

Villa Varoise
© John Horner
Villa Varoise
© John Horner

This resulted in the integration of landscape and house through the production of a monumental vaulted threshold to a central courtyard.

For centuries, the enclosed courtyard has been overlaid on various geographic settings—each time transformed according to the climate, rituals, and construction practices of the place.

A vehicle to capture the outdoors within the building, the courtyard is defined by its interiority.

Villa Varoise
© John Horner
Villa Varoise
© John Horner
Villa Varoise
© John Horner

The slipped court of this project provides simultaneous interiority and exteriority—protected as well as engaged.

The resulting vault is a ruled surface that mediates between the geometry of a stair, the pool, and the living areas above.

Structurally, the roof is a series of surface-active vaults that produce strong lateral stability. The slope of the vault maximizes the zoning envelope in order to bring in southern light.

Villa Varoise
© John Horner
Villa Varoise
© John Horner

Beneath the roof is the primary living, eating, and sleeping spaces. The lower wing is conceived as a street corridor, activated by a reading room and bedrooms that open directly onto the landscape.

Many of the living spaces of this house are outdoors, taking advantage of varying views, times of the day, and public vs. private moments.

Villa Varoise
© John Horner
Villa Varoise
© John Horner

For this reason, the architecture of the house extends into the landscape, retains it, and frames spaces in between.


Villa Varoise
© John Horner
Villa Varoise
© John Horner
Villa Varoise
© John Horner
Villa Varoise
© John Horner
Villa Varoise
© John Horner


Villa Varoise
Massing diagram
Villa Varoise
Roof diagram


Villa Varoise
Detail
Villa Varoise
Detail


Villa Varoise
Cantilever structure
Villa Varoise
Cantilever beam


Villa Varoise
Section
Villa Varoise
Section


Villa Varoise
Site section


Villa Varoise
Lower level floor plan
Villa Varoise
Upper level floor plan
Villa Varoise
Site plan


Villa Varoise
Section detail
Villa Varoise
Section detail

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