collective housing, hérémence, competition

client:

municipality of hérémence

programme :

6 apartments 4.5 rooms, 2 apartments 3.5 rooms

dates :

competition june 2006

volume sia 116 :

4’200 m3

collaboration :

françois meyer architecture, sion

the project represents a continuation of the village, respecting its fundamental principles – simple surface areas of the buildings, high density, timber beam façades and landscaped outside spaces. the two simple, monolithic buildings fit naturally into the topography, joined by a masonry plinth that houses the car park and communal areas. this plinth enables a semi-public area for the use of the residents to be created at ground level. the typology of the apartments is a reinterpretation of the layout of the traditional Valais timber house, made up of a succession of interconnecting spaces (rather than spaces accessed from a corridor). this configuration offers great flexibility and versatile spaces. the timber-beam construction preserves a sense of unity with the old village and helps keep alive skills that are being lost, while adapting them to present-day requirements and comfort expectations, primarily in terms of acoustic and thermal insulation.