389 Normandy

This estate in Normandy belongs to an 18th-century manor with some outbuildings that have been transformed into guests’ quarters. Between the two buildings we have constructed a big terrace, a kind of checkerboard with slabs of cut stone, in which, according to a well determined rhythm, squares have been left bare to accommodate tall topiaries in yew and perennials and bulbs. This fragmentation creates different areas where small groups can sit or larger numbers be entertained but where, equally, one can walk as if in a labyrinth. Nevertheless, one experiences the entire terrace as a coherent space that binds together the two buildings while simultaneously maintaining a certain distance. Behind the house we have crossed a valley with a chain of little pools between which one can walk. With the excavated soil, we have raised the boundaries so that an entirely new landscape has been created. To the outside, the mounds link to the enclosure, while the interior of the valley is managed in such a way that in time a natural planting will appear. Near the garages we have created a closed kitchen garden with soft fruits and herbs. / in collaboration with Bodin architects