LISIÈRE
LISIÈRE
Single-Family House LISIÈRE: Between Forest Edge and Lake
On a sloping plot, the modern architecture of the house unfolds across three levels, with the open living area and a large terrace on the top floor.
The Name as a Transition
Single-Family House | Location: quiet hillside setting at the forest edge, close to the lake | Livingfloor space: 392 m² | Volume: 2,012 m³ | Rooms: 7.5 rooms | Construction: masonry construction
LISIÈRE, French for the edge of a forest, states the house's architectural stance directly: it stands where dense woodland gives way to open ground, looking out over the waters of Lake Constance. The building responds differently to each side. Toward the forest it appears more closed, while toward the lake it opens up broadly across two storeys, its recessed façade preserving privacy from the neighbouring properties.
Between Hillside, Forest and Lake
The plot lies within a loosely built hillside neighbourhood, reached by a narrow, quiet access road. From the street, the house presents itself reserved and largely closed. Toward the valley, the garden descends in several terraces, held by dry stone walls, past a pool and down close to the lake. Dense trees close the plot off against the forest.
A House Across Three Levels
On the top floor, cooking, dining and living form an open floor plan of over eighty square metres. A built-in fireplace structures it, while large sliding glass doors open it to the terrace and the lake. An open staircase with a glass balustrade connects the levels. One floor below lie an office, two bedrooms and a generous mirrored dressing area between built-in wardrobes, along with a bathroom and the garage for two cars at street level. On the garden floor, a guest room, a fitness room and a wellness area with a sauna open onto the lower garden.
A Roof That Opens
A flat roof caps the building and carries the large terrace on the top floor. Above it, a large glass roof can be opened, connecting the outdoor space to the living area regardless of weather. Slender, dark-toned louvres frame the terrace on either side and screen it from view without blocking the outlook onto forest and lake.
Forest and Lake in Dialogue
Light-coloured plaster defines the façade of this masonry-built house, while dark wood at the entrance, the terrace louvres and the garage sets a quiet contrast. LISIÈRE thus brings together the two elements that give the house its name, forest and lake, in an architecture that mediates between them rather than choosing one over the other.
