Pir.116 House Offers Panoramic Arcachon Bay Views

Redesigned in 2023, the house is set into a dune and characterised by a double-pitched roof and white-plastered walls, resting on a rounded stone base. The renovation opens up the living space to the sea, maintaining the original identity of the house while enhancing its relationship with the scenic surroundings.

At first glance, the house stands out due to its location and volume.

The plot is situated in a privileged area, on the front line facing the Arcachon Bay, with dual south and east orientations.

A true homage to the Bordeaux architectural school, this 1950s house nestled into a dune has a unique charm.

A double-pitched roof is supported by a variable geometry of white plastered walls, all resting on a rounded stone base.

The plastered section is a deconstructed play of solid and void and rectilinear spaces which compose the volume and frame the landscape.

The house looks as though it were taken straight out of a Hollywood film, perched on the hills of Beverly Hills, while also echoing the post-war seaside architectural compositions, with facades that are both rigorous and paradoxically deconstructed.

The roof folds to create sunshades, embrace the windows, and sometimes even touches the ground to transform into a terrace. The project seems to be in motion.

Beyond the volume, the context is striking.

The house is located on the front line of Arcachon Bay and opens up to the water and offers a 180-degree views of the oyster-farming port of Piraillan village, with the Dune of Pilat in the background.

The goal was clear from the very first discussions with the clients, to create a living space as open to the sea as possible while respecting the project’s original DNA.

“The composition of the floor plan was obvious,” said Mardi designer Maxime Donnat. “The bedrooms and technical areas are located on the garden level, while the upper floor is designed as an open space, fully oriented towards the outside.”

“The master bedroom, a privileged sleeping area, enjoys a breathtaking view of the bay,” Donnat explained.

“In the living area, the challenge, beyond opening the view to the outside, was to create a double height under the double-pitched roof,” he added.

“Before our intervention, the low ceiling was crushing the space. We had to completely remove the roof structure in this part of the project, demolish the load-bearing walls that supported it, and design a new exposed and self-supporting framework. The result exceeded our expectations.”

To bring this volume to life and fully reveal its potential, significant work was done on all the joinery which was designed as embedded objects within the structure.

All the pieces were crafted from exotic wood, with intentionally thick frames that assert their presence and define bold outlines.

Varnished in a dark brown shade, they perfectly complement the new openwork wooden base that surrounds the ground floor.

This type of wooden cladding, with its narrow and contemporary slats, highlights the geometry of the first floor.

This design integrates the base harmoniously into the landscape, softening the building’s imposing presence when entering the plot.

The dialogue between two materials – the white plaster and dark brown-stained wood – forms a composition that also defines the interior atmosphere.

To dress this new floor plan, so open to its surroundings, it was essential to propose a coherent and rigorous intervention.

In the furniture design, every element adheres to a precise framework.

Regular vertical fins create a consistent rhythm while walnut veneer unifies the whole and gives character to the intervention, matching the window finishes.

This material choice is an intentional nod to 1950s architecture, perfectly aligning with the dark brown color palette.

The vertical fin concept is repeated in all joinery elements including closets, cupboards, and kitchen.