With SONO, Atelier Carle continues its exploration of the relationship between architecture and landscape, creating a residence that is less concerned with defining boundaries and more focused on choreographing the experience of place. Rather than imposing itself on its surroundings, the house is carefully composed to reveal and engage with the natural environment that surrounds it.
The approach to the residence is marked by three elongated concrete walls, each varying in height and proportion. These elements are conceived in dialogue with the scale of the landscape rather than the scale of the human body, anchoring the building firmly to the terrain and establishing a powerful sense of presence. A narrow opening between the walls guides visitors toward the entrance, creating a compressed and almost ceremonial transition from exterior to interior.
This sense of compression gives way to openness once inside. Beyond the entry sequence, the house unfolds into a lighter timber-framed structure that embraces natural light and expansive mountain views. Large openings orient the living spaces toward the north, establishing a constant visual connection with the surrounding landscape and allowing the changing atmosphere of the site to become part of everyday life.
Materiality plays a central role in defining the character of the project. Concrete provides weight, permanence and a strong connection to the ground, while timber introduces warmth, flexibility and a more intimate domestic environment. The dialogue between these two materials creates a balance between solidity and comfort, structure and habitation.
Throughout the project, architecture is used as a tool for framing views, guiding movement and shaping perception. Carefully controlled sequences of spaces, changing light conditions and precisely positioned openings transform the experience of the house into a gradual unfolding of landscape and atmosphere.
Rather than relying on formal gestures, SONO derives its identity from restraint and precision. Through the interplay of walls, light and topography, the residence creates a calm and thoughtful living environment where architecture and landscape become inseparable parts of the same experience.
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Photo: (c) Félix Michaud