House near Sarzenau, France

The design of the house was largely determined by two factors. The local authorities required a traditional building form with a slate-covered pitched roof. In response to this, the architects clad the structures entirely in slate, so that they resemble a pair of black monoliths sculpted in stone. Secondly, the location on an uncultivated moor called for a clear protective form. Set in a circular area of sand, which is meant to prevent the encroachment of the wilderness, the two parts of the house are approached via raised timber walkways and linked by a glass and preoxydized-steel structure. To the south, they open with large areas of glazing to the River Pernef. The interiors, painted in warm orange tones, form a striking contrast to the austere exteriors.