The project is a prototype house build in a remote area with the aim to restore the ecological heritage. Designed to be reversible, the construction is affordable, efficient and ecological. From organic materials to the lightness of the structure everything was planed to have the smallest impact on the ground. The cabin also respond to all modern needs and ensure full availability to look after natural's surroundings.
National
France
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Mainly rural
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
No
No
As an individual in partnership with other persons
First name: Arthur Last name: MARIEZ Gender: Male Age: 28 Please attach a copy of your national ID/residence card:
By ticking this box, I certify that the information regarding my age is factually correct. : Yes Nationality: France Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: 5 rue du temple Town: Les Vans Postal code: 07140 Country: France Direct Tel:+33 6 79 59 26 05 E-mail:mariez.arthur@gmail.com
First name: CHARGE Last name: Ange Gender: Female Age: 27 Please attach a copy of your national ID/residence card:
By ticking this box, I certify that the information regarding my age is factually correct. : Yes Nationality: France Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: 5 rue du temple Town: Les Vans Postal code: 07140 Country: France Direct Tel:+33 6 52 16 72 01 E-mail:charge.ange@gmail.com
The area where the house was implanted used to be a terrace farming land. Due to mechanization of agriculture this territory was abandoned. Pine tree became invasive causing biodiversity decrease and increases the risk of fire. Establish a living area in those kind of environment could be a way to regenerate flora and fauna. Before achieving this goal a comfortable staying was required in this hostile location.
The construction was thought to have the smallest impact on the ground. From screw fondations to the color choice of the rooftop, we tried create something integrated with it surroundings. Because the construction site is off road we were constraint using light materials and doing all building process on spot with simple tools.
Once the house built, we focussed on the needs. As this house doesn’t depend on electricity, water or gas network we had to find local solutions with the lowest carbon footprint. Some of them can be found on site, others requires new technologies.
The approach hope to find a solution to build and live in symbiosis with nature.
Wood Construction
Biodiversity Restoration
Efficiency Research
Local Solution
Low-tech
Energy saving
Elements of sustainability in this project are mainly directed by saving energy because the difficulty of getting it. That is why a sufficient wood wool insulation prevents thermal loss and by orienting the house at the south, it receive a maximum amount of natural heating and sun light. Which is really convenient in winter because only a 4kw wood stove can warm up the entire house. This wood is cut from the space where the garden will take place. With this process, annually house heating needs will be covered and year after year space for the forest-garden will be enlarged. It is a life-long cycle, with the purpose to reestablish endemic biodiversity.
Circular system
Natural elements are our best allies to respond basic needs. Sun and rain provide electricity and water but main difficulty remain in collection. Therefore solar panels are disposed on the ground and can be tilted depending on the season. The domestic water is recover from gutter and stored in flexible tank. To make it drinkable, it is filtered (particule and UV). After use it goes into a treatment plant to finish in the garden.
Light and reversible
Creating a reversible house was an important objectif to avoid soil degradation. To achieve this goal foundations were made without cement by using foundation screws. For this reason we had to design a light structure and to choose the weightless efficient roofing : corrugated steel. Timber comes from the closest sawmill and we used douglas fir for its resistance to humidity and durability.
Optimized design
The A-shape framework was required to optimize the space as all elements necessary for autonomy are stored in corners. It also provides two floors with different dimensions according to their use. On top the bedroom occupy half of the space offering to the living room a spacious double stage.
Blend with surroundings
Even if the construction try to integrate the landscape with colors and materials, the triangular shape creates a strong contrast with the organic forms around. The inside fells always safe while you can feel vulnerable on the outside. Sentiments can differ depending on weather or seasons, but we are convinced that living in nature reduce stress and improve health.
Human experience
Another objective is to develop the local knowledge by connecting with local inhabitants and observing the nature. Spending time in a wild area can be a way to tame it and the ancient knowledge helps to avoid mistakes. Both actions give the informations you need to restore the place and improve the sense of belonging.
Local solutions
This project try to find local answer to daily consumption reducing our dependance to globalized supply chain. Making people more aware of what they need and involving them to find solutions will make them less vulnerable.
Giving all humans basic skills
We believe that knowledges and skills increase this feeling of empowerment and responsibility by giving to all humans more control over their needs.
Low tech construction
For the building work part, the process was thought to be done by two non professional people. No heavy tools are required and everything was made from raw timber. This choice make the construction affordable but a large amount of time is required. From scratch it took us ten months to finish the cabin but this period can be shorten with finished timber.
In may 2022 a group of fifteen architecture’s students came to spend the day on the construction site. As the framework and roofing was done we explained them engineering’s details about the construction. Then we call for them to give us ideas about the inside arrangement. Their teacher wanted them to discover a human scale project.
Transform an abandoned place into a living place benefits to local inhabitants. The main impact on their land is related to the forest maintenance from preservation of paths to fire prevention. In a longer scale, preserving local patrimony will be an exemple of sustainable management for next generations.
Since we’ve finished the construction, we will focus on making a clear method to replicate this prototype. It will be address to people who have this same ambition : protect actively a precise environment.
In order to plan the project, we encountered the National Forest Property Center (CNPF) to obtain informations about conservation of woodland. He taught us the area past, the ongoing experiments and advices to regenerate our land.
Construction design and practice were made according to professional recommendation from carpenter to plumber. They all give us the basic knowledge we needed and they are the ones from whom we bought materials in a short distance perimeter.
Engineered design
Disciplines are mainly bounded to wood housing construction with the particularity of this secluded parcel. Because all the elements were handled on foot, their length and weight were dimensioned according to human limited possibilities. This has constraint the framework and each triangle can be lifted with two persons, a rope and without scaffolding. A compromise between weight and surface led us to choose the 6 by 6 by 6 meters dimension for the construction. For the finishing, the electrics, plumbing and heating engineering knowledges were basics.
Ecological system
While learning about the environment we agreed that we need to change our consumption. Thanks to ecological knowledge development we became aware that effective alternatives could replace traditional systems.
The innovative character remains in the synthesis of old and new technologies permitting human to occupy and regenerate remote areas. The keystone is to find the most efficient solution according to the need and the place. New technologies such as solar panels and wireless communication can be chosen but older one’s like wood stove remains unequalled.
This approach intend to facilitate a wild lifestyle still in connection with modern society.
Using simple and standardized materials make this process highly reproductible. But it isn’t a sufficient condition to create a successful experience. The main research is to find the appropriate location. It must be linked to flora and fauna restoration or human heritage. In our situation dry masonry and terrace cultivation were in ruin and needed to be restore. By developing an orchard and a garden we observed an increase of birds, insects and small mammals.
Reducing house’s carbon impact
This concept house provide efficient solutions to reduce the impact of our habitat on the environment.
Preserve the environment
Nowadays some people would like to have a direct positive impact on the environment, something with more sense than a choice of consumption. Giving them the opportunity to live in wild abandoned or deteriorate places could be a way to restore local biodiversity at a reachable human scale.
