Clavienrossier Architectes

Two in One House . Geneva

Clavienrossier Architectes . photos: © Roger Frei . + archdaily

The site is located on the edge of a residen- tial zone on the outskirts of Geneva, flanked on its southern border by a forest and opening out to fields to the west. It sits right on the line between the city and nature.

The building, backed by a paved access ramp, is placed in the north east corner of the site. The space between the building and the forest allows for a swimming pool and a large open garden.
The program includes two apartments of differing size, a continuous party wall sepa- rates the two.
A pitched roof over a diamond shaped plan, allows each apartment to have its own orien- tation. This distinct geometry allows for a greater degree of privacy for the residents and when viewed from the outside, gives the impression of a single unit.
The split geometry of the facades makes it difficult to get a grasp of the real size of the building, giving each individual facade a more domestic scale.
The exterior envelope of the building is entirely composed of integrally-coloured concrete, including the roof. Loggias built out of larch, perforate the facade and the roof of the building.The building conforms to very high energy standards.