Designed by ma!ca architecture, ‘Tra House’ is located in the historic part of Castries, a small French village.
The luxury French home and its adjoining house were restructured in order to create an intimate and special living environment.
The home has retained some of its heritage and prestige by keeping its existing features such as the stone staircase, cement tiles, and the wooden roof framing, while the barn’s large volume and minimalist forms have turned into an open-plan and fluid living space.
The existing space of the old home now incorporates the bedrooms, whereas the old wine barn welcomes the famil’s living quarters. The kitchen, living room, and large table lead out onto the patio and the stunning swimming pool. The position of the pool, adjoining the building, creates various atmospheres for each moment of life, allowing to experience the seasonal rhythms throughout the natural vibrations of air and matter.
On the outside, part of the roof of the original barn was removed to design the open-air patio. The composition of this space – within four walls – echoes the Mediterranean lifestyle. Furthermore, the choice was made to keep one of the gable stone walls of the barn, a vestige of the past, to ensure the thermal efficiency of the building. The limestone retains the right humidity level throughout the night, especially in summer, keeping the place cool and pleasant to use.
The ‘half-pool half-patio’ pattern gives this wet are its fundamental posture. It is the pivot of the overall outdoor composition and connects it with the indoors.
“The three dimensions of architecture, history, and technicity are in dialogue and this project writes a ‘tailor-made’ narrative in each and every detail, giving the place its own unique spirit,” said the architects.
Photography by Julien Kerdraon
