Location: Bargemon,
France
2007
Architects: Dixon Jones and Jean-Paul Radigois
Client: Margot & Edward Jones
Villa in the Var : RIBA
European Award 2007
Images from Dixon.Jones Architects
images © Morley von Sternberg
The combination of ‘Les Adrets’ (sunny side of the mountain),
once terraced for the cultivation of olives, overlooking the village of
Bargemon with spectacular views towards the Mediterranean, presented the
challenge of an ideal site.
images © Morley von Sternberg
The building is linear following the terraces. Its plan ‘en enfilade’
with a 60m pergola, acts as an armature for the re-establishment of the
landscape providing a series of frames to view it from, some accidental,
others more considered.
images © Morley von Sternberg
The first sign of occupancy on the site was a small shepherd’s cabanon
with a tall palm tree positioned in front of it. Interestingly, this was
the best relationship to a magnificent view, looking south through the
saddle of the hills towards the Mediterranean. The site is located 2 kilometres
above the town of Bargemon in Provence. The Col du Bel Homme, immediately
behind, forms a natural barrier to the north and marks the limit of habitation
before the commencement of the military zone. The design of the house
responds directly to the site conditions of the man-made topography of
stepped terraces formed by dry stonewalls, which for two thousand years
had been used for the cultivation of olives. This existing pattern of
stonewalls forming terraces was an obvious clue. An early inspiration
was the Italian villa/garden tradition, where the slope of the land intersected
with precise terraces, where the discipline of the contour encouraged
ideas of linearity. The plan of the Villa Gamberaia above Florence was
noted.
images © Morley von Sternberg
The relationship between house and garden has been a continuing fascination
to us, particularly in the Mediterranean where, because of the climate,
the relationship between inside and outside is ambiguous. The overused
reference to ‘outside rooms’ becomes a reality here. Pergola,
loggia, court, allé and lawn act as an entourage, extending the
enclosure of the house into an enlarged composition.
photo © Morley von Sternberg
Within this idea and the ever-presence of the south-facing view, the design
of the house seemed almost inevitable. In plan, the sequence of the entrance
salon, loggia, living room and swimming pool court are all connected ‘en
enfilade’. The south side of all these spaces relates to a 60 metre
long pergola which, apart from forming a promenade, acts as a frame to
the garden and the view. The section of the house with its one room depth,
allowed for simple and effective cross ventilation, added to this the
walls were built with 400mm thick terracotta hollow blocks, giving the
house excellent insulation. The bedrooms are conventionally positioned
above on the first floor connected by two stairs either directly to the
swimming pool court outside or to the entrance hall and the principle
living room inside.
photo © Morley von Sternberg
Le Corbusier declared that a house should be a ‘machine à
hábiter’. This aphorism might be extended here whereby the
house acts as a mechanism for viewing the landscape with some views accidental
and others more considered.
Submission for European Award
photo © Morley von Sternberg
French house
architect : Dixon.Jones
site photos by Dixon.Jones Architects
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