© Kengo Kuma & Associates
Architects: Kengo Kuma & Associates
Location: 336 Route du Nant Jorland, 74310 Les Houches, France
Project Director: Matthieu Wotling, Chizuko Kawarada
Area: 2000.0 sqm
Project Year: 2016
Photographs: Kengo Kuma & Associates, Michel Denancé, Béatrice Cafieri
Project Manager: Silvia Fernandez
Site Supervision: TOP Frederic Reinert
Mechanical And Concrete Structure Engineer : EGIS Grand EST
Wood Structure Engineer: BARTHES
Quantity Surveyor: LTA
Façade Engineer : AR-C
Acoustician: ACOUSTB
© Michel Denancé
From the architect. Les Houches is a small village situated in the French Alpes, close to one of its most important peaks, the Mont-Blanc. The aim was to integrate as naturally as possible the project into the extraordinary mountainous landscape.
© Béatrice Cafieri
© Michel Denancé
Our idea was to create a wide roof perforated by lines of light running from north to south, following the natural slope, under which the program is implemented. The terrace in the middle of the roof offers a panoramic 360 degree view to the mountain ranges surrounding the building.
© Michel Denancé
Wooden boards of natural oak envelop the building creating an irregular rhythm both in the façade and in the roof. The intention was to keep the natural and rough aspect of the oak, so we decided to keep the bark as well as to not add any treatments so to highlight the natural aspect of the wood.
© Michel Denancé
Site Plan
© Michel Denancé
The large atrium creates a link between the north and main entrance with the views towards the mountains on the South. A maximum of modularity is foreseen for all the working areas and a double height space ensures maximum views to the exterior while giving the users bright and generous working spaces.
© Michel Denancé
Sig Nordal 