MABO

MABO

Concrete and the Woods (CATW) as Architects

MABO is a project for the extension of a villa in Nyon, a few kilometers away from Geneva. It's been designed to host cosy dinners, paintings, plants and flowers.
 
It works as a peninsula, an almost interdependent pavilion, connected to an existing house thought a narrow passage. 
 
It's forms and de-formations are the result of reactions to the local regulations and to the site characteristics. The south facade is the bigger one and opens to a garden of which this volume occupies the Northern extremity. The North and the West facades adapt to the forms of the property. Hedges and plantations are all around. 
 
The vegetation is mirrored and multiplied by the steel, by the glass and... by the mirrors on the facade. We wanted to make the experience of walking around the construction a bit more deep and why not, a bit more Magritte. 
 
Structurally, the project can be described as a CLT roof and 3 wooden arches loaded on a concrete body composed of a wall and a fireplace. The materials are all exposed, only the wood ceiling have been slightly darkened so to match our sensibilities.
 
The concrete parts have been shaped so to make the 34m2 of this one room as comfy as possible. Designed to enjoy convivial times, we thought at those informal moments that happen before and after the supper. A fireplace is connected to a large bench, which is continued by a wall who's vertical formwork functions as a neutral display for the owner’s paintings collection. 
 
We tried to work carefully on unity, integration and on the connections between the parts that compose the space. 
 
Finally, the roof inclinations play also an important role to define the perception of the space. It brings the ceiling very low on one side and very high over the table area bringing the ceremony where it needs to be. Together with a floor that lies 46cm into the terrain, so to match the height of the sittings to the level of the grass, it guides the guests in this plastic space. 

Project Credits
Product Spec Sheet

ElementBrand
LightingViabizzuno
Product Spec Sheet
Lighting
Project Spotlight
Product Spotlight
News
Sports Hall by Grido architekti references functionalism of 1930s Czech architecture
14 Feb 2025 News
Sports Hall by Grido architekti references functionalism of 1930s Czech architecture

Czech architectural studio Grido architekti has designed a sports hall for the pupils of an elementa... More

UNStudio’s new Chongqing development balances demand for high-rise living with health and well-being of residents
10 Feb 2025 News
UNStudio’s new Chongqing development balances demand for high-rise living with health and well-being of residents

International architecture and design practice UNStudio has completed 18T Mansion, a high-rise resid... More

Archello houses of the month - January 2025
5 Feb 2025 News
Archello houses of the month - January 2025

Archello has selected its houses of the month for January 2025. This list showcases 20 of the m... More

Polish Embassy in Berlin by JEMS Architekci is a “testament to architectural diplomacy”
4 Feb 2025 News
Polish Embassy in Berlin by JEMS Architekci is a “testament to architectural diplomacy”

A project that was thirteen years in the making, the new Polish Embassy in Berlin officially opened... More

Ika.architekti builds fun and functional DIY sauna in Brno
31 Jan 2025 News
Ika.architekti builds fun and functional DIY sauna in Brno

Brno-based ika.architekti has built an upcycled sauna using an array of old materials. The project i... More

Francine Houben, Isabel Van Haute, Stephan Chevalier and DaeWha Kang named as Archello Awards 2025 jurors
27 Jan 2025 Archello Awards
Francine Houben, Isabel Van Haute, Stephan Chevalier and DaeWha Kang named as Archello Awards 2025 jurors

Archello is pleased to announce the first group of its esteemed jurors for the newly launched Archel... More

HGAA expands restaurant in Bãi Cháy with a building that embraces nature
27 Jan 2025 News
HGAA expands restaurant in Bãi Cháy with a building that embraces nature

Vietnamese architectural studio HGAA was included in Archello’s list of the 25 best architectu... More

Mole Architects elevates “mundane” 1960s English bungalow with new extension
27 Jan 2025 News
Mole Architects elevates “mundane” 1960s English bungalow with new extension

Cambridge-based architectural studio Mole Architects has completed the upgrade and extension of an e... More