lode architecture: g house, normandy, france

‘g house’ by lode architecture, normandy, france

all images courtesy of lode architects

parisian firm lode architecture have elevated the ecology of an estuary with architecture. at the mouth of seine in northern normandy sits the slate-shingled graphic silhouette of ‘g house’ a holiday dwelling of simple volumes and sharp edges. despite the green context, the home appropriates the color palette of the nearby port of honfleur. dark, reflective skin responds to the norman sky, while the interior cladding of strikingly grained wood and flush joinery bolsters the architecture as a framing device. the spaces are a series of interacting volumes delineated by a rhythm of wooden partition walls, all constructed with a tilt-up method. the thick, solid panels additionally provide unprecedented amounts of thermal insulation in keeping with low-impact environmental measures employed throughout the residence. apertures, in the form of passageways, cut outs and square glazing organize the straightforward program. the seasonal home is a streamlined iteration of a vernacular norman cottage, albeit one that consolidates a tradition of rich materiality into a composition of sophisticated planes.