Perched on an elevated site overlooking the Aude valley, this contemporary house was designed to frame long views south towards the Pyrenees while providing a sheltered and adaptable domestic environment. The project explores the relationship between solid and void, using concrete volumes and expansive glazing to create a house that is both outward-looking and deeply private.

The internal layout is organised around a clear distinction between social and secluded spaces. An open-plan kitchen and dining area forms the heart of the house, positioned along the south-facing façade to take full advantage of natural light and uninterrupted views across the landscape. Large sliding glass doors allow this space to open directly onto the terrace, blurring the boundary between interior and exterior during warmer months.

In contrast, a more secluded lounge is set slightly apart from the main living area, offering a quieter retreat while maintaining visual connections to the surrounding environment. The house accommodates three bedrooms, arranged to balance privacy with outlook, each benefitting from controlled daylight and carefully framed views. Circulation throughout the house is deliberately minimal, allowing the architecture to prioritise spatial clarity and openness.

Externally, the building is expressed as a series of stacked concrete planes articulated with deep overhangs and recessed glazing. These overhanging balconies serve both aesthetic and environmental functions, providing shelter from the intense summer sun while allowing lower winter light to penetrate the interior. The material palette is intentionally restrained, with smooth concrete surfaces contrasted against dark-framed glazing to emphasise the building’s geometric form.

The south-facing terrace acts as an extension of the living spaces and is conceived as the primary outdoor room of the house. An 11-by-5-metre swimming pool is set into the terrace, aligning with the main façade and reinforcing the strong horizontal emphasis of the architecture. Adjacent to the pool, an outdoor kitchen and dining area support informal living and entertaining, while low walls and planting create a sense of enclosure without interrupting views.

Above, a rooftop terrace offers a more elevated vantage point, providing panoramic views across the valley and distant mountains. Together, the interior spaces and layered outdoor terraces create a house that responds directly to its landscape, combining contemporary architectural expression with a climate-sensitive approach to living in southern France.