Modernist villa with swimming pool

Zlatko Vela
1974
Near Pithiviers (45)

313 sqm
2 bathrooms
4/6 bedrooms
Plot: 2,5 ha

Description

Modernist inspiration in a remarkable natural setting

In a preserved woodland environment, this residence with its modernist silhouette offers a serene living environment only 1 hour from Paris.

Set in 2.5 hectares of wooded grounds with swimming pool and orangery, this house offers 313 m² of living space on one level;

A vast entrance hall opens onto a living space bathed in light and open to the garden thanks to large picture windows. It offers a dining area and a living room with fireplace set back a few steps, extending the perspective towards the outside. This layout is reminiscent of the conversation pits – relaxation and conversation spaces typical of the 1970s. A bright kitchen, separated by a glass wall, has retained its original wooden furniture and central island. 

The sleeping area comprises a large master suite with full bathroom, 3 bright bedrooms, a dressing room and a study that could be converted into additional bedrooms, plus a shower room. The many windows provide generous amounts of natural light and give the bedrooms uninterrupted views over the garden.

A laundry room and cellar complete the property.

Recently renovated, the house is divided into two separate wings: one dedicated to the reception rooms and the master suite, the other to the bedrooms. The spaces are structured by the play of volumes and variations in levels characteristic of the Seventies. The contemporary waxed concrete floor adds a modern touch and a sense of spatial continuity throughout the house;

It is set in vast wooded parklands, with flowering ash, oak, maritime pine, lime and larch trees planted along the driveways. The property also includes a terrace immersed in the vegetation, a swimming pool with pool house and an orangery that currently houses a workshop.

Close to Pithiviers and just 1 hour 30 minutes from Paris, 1 hour from Orléans and 40 minutes from Fontainebleau, this house offers an ideal living environment in the forested and historic surroundings of the Loiret;

Shops and amenities are just a few minutes away by car.

A Seventies house open to nature

Built as a second home for an industrialist and his family, the villa offers light and airy spaces where nature invites itself in through the many windows and bay windows. This extensive use of glass, made possible by the use of a post-and-beam structure, reinforces the perspectives and establishes a visual continuity between the interior spaces and the surrounding nature.

The horizontality of the house, reinforced by its flat roof – a direct influence of the “mid-century” built in the United States in the 1970s -, subtly inscribes the ensemble into the landscape. 

Elevation on tracing paper, private archives

Elevations and site photos, private archives

An experimental project

The owner called on interior architect Zlatko Vela to manage the project.

This project marked the beginning of the architect’s career, providing him with a privileged framework for experimentation: the architect paid particular attention to questions of habitability and comfort; he selected the various materials with the greatest care, taking into account in particular the site’s energy consumption. He chose to use brick for its insulating properties, given the large glazed areas. The owner, who was very involved in all phases of the design and construction, placed his complete trust in the architect. He simply rejected his initial proposal for exposed brick façades, imposing his choice of concrete exterior cladding on the architect.

Additional information

Architecte

Zlatko Vela

Géolocalisation

Near Pithiviers (45)

Location

French Regions