Erwan Bouroullec and LVA Architects complete farm Renovation
Designer Erwan Bouroullec collaborated with LVA Architects, led by Guillaume Le Dévéhat and Charlotte Vuarnesson, to transform an old farm in Burgundy, France, into a versatile, enduring space. The project embraced a meticulous and thoughtful approach, emphasizing respect for the site’s history, collective intelligence, and integration with its natural surroundings. The result is a ‘landscape house’ gently nestled on a slope, offering nearly 360-degree views of the surrounding valleys and forests. This reimagining of rural architecture exudes a simple, radical beauty while demonstrating efficient environmental design. Former barns and stables now serve as resilient, multi-functional spaces, housing living quarters, workshops, and other diverse uses.
The design process was guided by a profound understanding of the building’s layers and history, ensuring its transformation respected the past without erasing it. The architects worked with the existing structure, magnifying its raw beauty by revealing its materials and preserving its authenticity. The natural slope of the land was maintained, with the buildings following its contours to blend harmoniously with the environment. Pathways were gently shaped, creating balanced areas for flora and fauna to thrive. Openings were strategically positioned to facilitate natural ventilation and air circulation, while seasonal changes in light and landscape were observed to enhance the spatial experience. The architecture not only integrated with the landscape but also invited nature into the home, with vegetation woven into the facades.
A landscape house on a gentle slope with an almost 360- degree view of the surrounding valleys and forests. ©Charles Petillon
La Grange rehabilitation project reuses barn’s original materials
The rehabilitation by studio LVA Architects and designer Erwan Bouroullec preserved the overall organization of buildings around the courtyard, while opening views to the south by removing a collapsing section. Part of the old stable’s asbestos roof was replaced to create a spacious, multi-purpose area. The former silage pit was transformed into a natural swimming pool, while new frameworks of Douglas fir were paired with aged stone, achieving both structural continuity and warmth. Polycarbonate panels in the workshop areas now filter natural light, creating comfortable intermediate spaces that remain cool in summer and shield from winter winds. Rainwater is collected and stored in an underground tank, and reused for garden irrigation and to supply the naturally filtered swimming pool. A rainwater basin made from a galvanized steel trough, featuring vegetation and fish, punctuated the facade as a thoughtful and aesthetic detail.
Sustainability was a core consideration, with the roof insulated using wood fiber, windows fitted with double glazing, and underfloor heating supplemented by wood-burning stoves. Existing stone walls were retained, with lightweight wood-frame partitions added where needed. Materials were reused wherever possible, with oak from removed trusses repurposed for new lintels, local quarry gravel used for site work, and terracotta tiles salvaged for window sills. Stones found on-site were even crafted into stair treads, exemplifying the project’s resourceful approach. The design anticipates future renovations, including the conversion of a charming dovecote with its lauze-edged roof and simple volume, ensuring the site continues to evolve while maintaining its connection to the past.
Building and landscape hand in hand. Bringing the landscape into the house, guiding vegetation onto the facades. ©Philippe Thibault
Experiencing cold, wind, sun and rain. Observing the movement of landscapes and light through the seasons. ©Philippe Thibault
Revealing the building’s open character and letting in natural light. ©Philippe Thibault
Converting, rehabilitating, setting a framework within which things will continue to evolve. ©Philippe Thibault
Creating a virtuous path for rainwater, stored in an underground tank and reused to water the garden and supplement the water in the naturally filtered swimming pool. ©Philippe Thibault
Punctuating the façade with a rainwater basin made from a galvanized steel pasture trough. Embellishing with fish and vegetation. ©Philippe Thibault
Conserving the house’s stone dividing walls, adding lightweight wood-frame partitions. ©Philippe Thibault
Redoing the framework, softening the light with the warmth of Douglas fir, bringing together new wood and aged stone. Finding the right geometry. ©Philippe Thibault
Composing with what’s already there, without distorting it but transforming it. ©Philippe Thibault
Creating workshops in intermediate, covered, closed, unheated spaces that keep cool in summer and protect from cold and wind in winter. ©Philippe Thibault
Considering the future renovation of the beautiful little building, a former dovecote, with its simple volume and lauze-edged roof. ©Philippe Thibault
project info:
name: La Grange — Burgundy
architects: LVArchitectes – Le Dévéhat Vuarnesson Architectes | @lv.architectes
designer: Erwan Bouroullec | @erwanbouroullec
location: Burgundy, France
workshop area: 200 sqm
dwelling area: 260 sqm
courtyard area: 200 sqm
shed area: 60 sqm
surface area: 2 ha
client: Ève & Erwan Bouroullec and Thierry Lesage
excavation: Cornier et Zieger Terrassements
masonry: Cyril Lambert
roofing and carpentry: Philibert Charpente
interior and exterior joinery: Laurent Bonnet Menuiserie Agencement
electrical work: SAS Bonhomme
plumbing and heating: Gelin Dury
wooden partitions and floors: Guillaume Liodenot Charpentier
floor finishes: Manuel Alves Renov Sols
painting: Lebeau-Langlois
landscape and natural swimming pool: L’Orangerie – Arie van Dorp Sanitation
garden: Combier Paysage
photography: Philippe Thibault | @phil.thib, Charles Petillon | @charlespetillon
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edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom
