Layaz-Mauron House

The architects of nb.arch believe in simplifying construction. Attempts to hide or camouflage any detail is forbidden. Their approach is the opposite of minimalism, which too often consists of masking the building's elements with huge constructional efforts, sometimes vain, often fragile. In Epalinges, Switzerland, nb.arch has artfully twisted the archetype of the family home. The house stands on the edge of a basin-shaped plot, at the meeting point between road and slope. It offers a different face, depending on the angle from which it is viewed. The trapezoidal plan, echoing the shape of the plot, and the double-hipped roof, add to this differentiation. The choice and use of materials clearly indicate the architects' determination to avoid any suggestion of theatricality. A single colour accent, the yellow glass balustrade of the terrace, ties the structure together like a ribbon around a present and gives the house a touch of preciousness that is somewhat out of character.