At the edge of the Fontainebleau Forest in the picturesque French village of Barbizon, a historic stone building has been reimagined by KIDA Architects as a modern, bioclimatic home: Sous les ailes—Under the wings. The briefing called for an environmentally friendly house that was self-sufficient in terms of water and energy: “a sustainable living space in perfect symbiosis with its environment.” With lime, hempcrete and timber, the design reveals and enhance the beauty of its traditional heart and its verdant surrounds.
Revelation and reimagination
The project began by revealing the original stone outbuilding, which sits at the northeast corner of the 2000-square-metre site. Over time, two concrete extensions had been added. These were removed, allowing the original structure to reassert its presence on the site. This stone building served as the architectural reference point for the new wings and determined their scale and height.
A volume for living
The main living volume stretches along the northern edge of the plot. It houses the entrance, living room and kitchen: spaces that flow into one another and which are edged by large-scale glazing that opens them onto a private garden populated by mature oak trees. These south facing windows provide extensive daylighting to the interior, reducing reliance on electrical systems, while a cantilevered roof outside limits direct sun during the summer months. Smaller openings along the north side provide glimpses to the outdoors while maintaining privacy.
A volume for sleeping
The original volume houses the main bedroom and en suite bathroom. From here, a new second volume—with two additional bedrooms and a bathroom—extends along the eastern edge of the plot. Constructed entirely of hemp and lime, this volume blends into the natural slope of the site, tucked low amongst the greenery to provide privacy and a sense of serenity. This placement allows the bedrooms to feel connected to both the heart of the house and the surrounding landscape. The garage and workshop have been set at a distance from the home and are integrated into the landscape in such a way that they do not interrupt the garden or views.
Achieving self-sufficiency
The new wings have been constructed from timber and hempcrete: a bio-composite that combines fast-growing hemp with lime binder to deliver thermal mass and insulation. The stone outbuilding has been retrofitted with sprayed hempcrete and wood wool, low impact bio-sourced insulation that enhances indoor air quality and energy performance.
The use of biobased materials is complemented by systems that make the house self-sufficient in energy and water: rainwater from the roof is collected in dedicated tanks and treated for full domestic use, eliminating reliance on external water supply, while a combination of solar thermal collectors and a biomass wood stove with boiler meet all heating needs without grid dependence. Passive strategies—including shading, thermal mass and Canadian wells that temper incoming air naturally—minimise energy demand and ensure a comfortable, and sustainable, home all year round.
