La Closeraie

What makes this apartment building by Edouard François special is its façade. While the interior walls have been whitewashed, the façade has merely been given a protective water-repellent coating. Some 15 to 20 cm in front of it is a 'palisade' of sturdy timber poles joined by stainless steel wire, attached to the façade with hooks and reinforced with metal bars. The wooden structure fulfils the dual function of umbrella and parasol. In addition, this screen-façade controls thermal inertia and acoustics, ventilation, sun lighting and views out. Its greatest virtue is the simple construction system using a familiar and recyclable material, in this case chestnut wood.