Serpentine House

Set in the heart of a 1,900 m² wooded plot in the Tarn, this single-storey house offers a total living area of 185 m².

It is organized around three distinct modules, brought together at their center by the living spaces. These include a large fully equipped kitchen, a compact and functional back kitchen, a dining area, and a living room with an insert fireplace. The entire space is filled with natural light thanks to pocket sliding glass doors that seamlessly bring the surrounding nature indoors.

The second module, overlooking the pond, features a suite with ample storage, a bathroom with both a bathtub and a shower, a dressing room, and separate toilets.

The final module is accessed via a long corridor, reminiscent of a train walkway—an invitation to travel. It houses three additional bedrooms, an office, a shower room, a toilet, and a laundry room.

The outdoor spaces are particularly well designed. A lap pool runs alongside an ornamental pond with Koi carp. Below, an exotic wood terrace extends the concrete loggia, which continues directly from the living areas. Concrete cylinders connect the pool, the loggia, and the terrace.

A carport, along with parking spaces and storage areas, is also available outside.

This property is located in a natural setting in the heart of the Tarn, in Fiac. Close to the golf course of the same name, the house is a 10-minute drive from Lavaur, with its shops, schools, and amenities.

Toulouse, Castres, and Albi can be reached in approximately 1 hour, 30 minutes, and 40 minutes by car, respectively. Lavaur train station provides connections to Toulouse and Castres in about 30 minutes.

The architect has designed a serpentine house that fully embraces the site. It winds, twists, and stretches among the trees, extending in a cantilever over the pond it overlooks. While the high-performance requirements guided the choice of a timber-frame structure, pre-patinated standing-seam zinc (Anthra-Zinc), selected for its dark tone, durability, and texture, along with glass (ITR Bioclean), were chosen for the house’s façades. This combination allows the home to maintain exterior discretion while opening up to the site from the living spaces.

The choice of predominantly full-height, expansive windows situates the design in the tradition of the glass house motif, made famous by the works of Pierre Chareau (Maison de Verre, 1928–1932), Mies van der Rohe (Farnsworth House, 1945–1951), and Philip Johnson (Glass House, 1949). The interior space is primarily conceived in relation to the outdoors. The white ceiling enhances the variations of light cast upon it throughout the day, while subtly integrating opal light fixtures.

The house was awarded the BBC label by Promotelec in July 2012. To minimize its environmental footprint, the architect opted for a locally sourced timber frame, a heat pump, high-performance aluminum joinery, and underfloor heating, which provides significant thermal inertia. In summer, the proximity of vegetation, water, the pool, and numerous openings ensures cool, well-ventilated interiors, while in winter, the abundant glazing maximizes sunlight throughout the house.

This project provided an opportunity to reconcile environmental awareness with a very high level of energy performance, while realizing a remarkable freedom of architectural expression.

The project has received multiple accolades: in 2013, its architect Jean-Marie Pettès won the ArchiDesignClub Awards, received the 2nd National Prize for Timber Construction for the serpentine house, and was selected for the Prix Archinovo.

Jean-Marie Pettès is a DPLG-certified architect. In 2006, he founded his agency, where he develops contemporary architecture that is attentive to both its environment and its users. His work, characterized by a sensitive approach to living spaces and a strong environmental commitment, is expressed through a variety of projects, ranging from individual homes to public facilities.

His work has been recognized with numerous architectural awards, including the National Prize for Timber Construction in 2013 for the Villa Serpentine, as well as several Midi-Pyrénées Architecture Awards for the Maison du Sidobre (2012) and the Louis Rascol Technical High School (2001).