Reinterpreting a Rural Archetype

A traditional 19th-century farmhouse in Vuistérnens-devant-Romont is reimagined through a careful transformation that responds to changing rural realities. Once combining living and agricultural functions under one roof, the oversized structure had become difficult to maintain after farming activities ceased. The project introduces a new life cycle, aligning domestic use with permaculture while preserving the building’s strong regional identity and spatial generosity.

Reversing Functions to Create New Possibilities

The design overturns the original organization: the former agricultural barn becomes the primary living space, while the south-facing dwelling is emptied and converted into a greenhouse. This inversion allows cultivation and habitation to coexist in a coherent system. A compact residential volume is inserted within the barn, creating layered intermediate zones that alternate between planted areas and sheltered outdoor spaces, blurring boundaries between interior and landscape.

A Timber Structure Within the Existing Shell

To anchor the intervention within the logic of the historic construction, the new dwelling follows a timber structural grid aligned with the rhythm of the existing roof. Timber and glass walls define the inserted volume while maintaining visual continuity with the larger envelope. The approach minimizes contrast between old and new, allowing the intervention to appear as a natural evolution rather than an addition imposed from outside.

Spatial Rhythm and Everyday Living

The internal layout follows the cadence of the original bays. Former haylofts accommodate generous living spaces with double-height volumes, while areas corresponding to stables and storage are organized around terracotta brick service cores. Linear connections between rooms emphasize the remarkable scale of the farmhouse, turning circulation into an experiential sequence that reveals the building’s historic proportions.

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