Maison du Lac d'Aiguebelette - Pierre Janin

Nances, France

The Maison du lac d' Aiguebelette is a tourism center located on an alpine lake's shoreline and nature reserve. The building has been designed to blend into its surroundings and limit its built form on this protected site. It is built out of locally sourced timber, a lightweight structure placed upon isolated footings.

The project looked to modernize vernacular boathouse topologies as two sleek timber vessels stretching out towards the lake. It reflects the neighboring village in its domestic style while rising up to meet the background's mighty mountain.

The use of an open joint timber cladding in front of a layer of translucent polycarbonate creates varying lighting effects, from dancing reflections to deep night.

With these simple notions, the Maison du Lac is a series of quiet spaces, linked to its landscape and blending gracefully into its environment.