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An Old Wooden Shed Becomes an Architect’s Cottage

An old wooden shed in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France was in poor condition before Chevallier Architectes took charge to turn the structure into an architect’s house, for an architect. Working with the planning by-laws of the area, the structure couldn’t be modified or expanded so they had to work within the space already there and optimize it.

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Since the project had to reflect an architect’s vision for the future, they went with bold, contemporary lines, high quality materials, and eco-friendly options during the construction process.

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The house is clad with openwork siding giving it an indoor/outdoor look. Rusted elements were also incorporated into the facade, adding to the rustic look.

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The roof is also made with the same material as the siding – it’s laid right on the waterproofing layer to create protection from the snow.

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The ground floor houses an open living room and kitchen, as well as a garage. A black and white color scheme was used, not to disrupt the framed views of the surrounding landscape.

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Upstairs there are two bedrooms and an office that has bunk beds for children. Each of the bedrooms has its own bathroom.

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Photos by Alexandre Mermillod, courtesy of v2com.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.