In the south of France, MA House, in its found condition, was a small former farmhouse sitting in the forest, weathering away for more than a decade and fading comfortably into the landscape.
From its peaceful and ruinous state, Studio XM worked to bring back the house to life, infusing it with the monastic architectural qualities known to the valley’s traditional built fabric.
More than a simple reconstruction, the house was envisioned as a renewal emphasizing the existing house's quirks and careful craftsmanship. The existing structure was carefully dismembered in phases. The footprint and envelope were subtly altered yet remained much in keeping with the proportions of the old farmhouse.
Materials added bring a rich new layer to the building. Walls are finished with ‘chaux’ a local lime plaster that leaves a textured and uneven surface. Casework was designed and simply constructed from regionally sourced oak.
Meanwhile, tiles for the roof are ‘tuiles anciennes’, with some more than 30 years old. The tiles feature a beautiful patchwork of colours ranging from green to red.
