Deux résidences monumentales plantées sur les bords de la Moselle, imaginées par le cabinet d’architecture luxembourgeois Hermann&Valentiny Architects .. on aurait bien voulu passer le pas de la porte pour une visite.
Photos © Hermann & Valentiny
+ Via Hermann & Valentiny Architects
HOUSE WURTH, située à Wormeldange au Luxembourg
« The house lies directly on the left bank of the Mosel, at the entrance to a wine-growing town, and is built directly into the vineyards.
It consists of three levels and a converted attic. But one recognises this fact only from the Mosel as, due to the slope, part of the building is embedded in the earth. The lowest level – with the entrance area, garage and basement – indeed vanishes on three sides into the site and is lit only from the façade (southeast) towards the Mosel, and the client has to take into account the fact that it could be inundated during severe flooding. The first floor also partly disappears into the slope; it contains the cooking, dining and living area as well as a terrace (above the garage) towards the Mosel. On the second floor are the bedrooms and a second terrace that faces towards the vineyard. There is a further sleeping area in the attic.
The residents of Wormeldange quickly gave this house a nickname: “the praying hand in the vineyard”. This is derived from the articulation of the building volume into “fingers” that only touch each other on the slope side.
This device allowed the architect to introduce a great deal of light to the house.
The two gable façades – towards the vineyard, towards the Mosel – are completely glazed. Two bands of windows in the roof and the façade interrupt the skin of the building, which is otherwise homogeneously clad with Corten steel. »
MARXEN HOUSE, située à Matchtum, au Luxembourg
« This house, too, lies in the vineyard with a wonderful view of the Moselle. It is in part a masonry building with a visibly screwed oak façade; in part it has a load-bearing timber and glass façade.
The building encloses an internal courtyard on three sides and is oriented to the northeast, towards the Moselle. There, too, a large pool of water was positioned, which can also be used as a swimming pool. A footbridge leads across this pool to the entrance to the house. The house is completely transparent towards the Moselle and the internal courtyard; in contrast towards the slope and on the sides openings are used very sparingly.
The articulation of the building nevertheless allows light to enter from the slope side. Terraces – to the southwest, to the east – are positioned in such a way that they use and make one aware of the various visual relationships and the different moods of light during the day. »
ça a l’air bien intelligent tout ça