Nestled within the remarkable natural setting of Hossegor’s pine forest, architect Margot Aurensan has created a residence that embodies restraint and sensitivity. Completed in 2022, the project is conceived as a careful response to its site and topography, favoring volumetric simplicity and material authenticity. This deliberate approach allows the house to recede gracefully into the wooded landscape, merging with its environment rather than dominating it.

From the street, the house appears to be a modest single‑storey dwelling. In reality, the design cleverly follows the slope of the land. A garden level is anchored into the gradient, while the upper floor aligns naturally with the street. This siting strategy minimizes the building’s visual impact and enhances its integration within the forested setting. Aurensan demonstrates how architecture can adapt to terrain, reducing its presence while strengthening its dialogue with nature.

A central challenge was to highlight views of the Pyrenees. Large glazed openings in the living areas frame the distant mountains, extending the interior onto a terrace conceived as a natural continuation of the house. When the sliding doors are fully opened, boundaries between inside and outside dissolve, allowing the dwelling to breathe with its surroundings. This seamless connection emphasizes the importance of landscape in everyday living, transforming the house into a vessel for experiencing nature.

Material choices reinforce this philosophy. The use of charred wood cladding, inspired by the Japanese shou sugi ban technique, provides both aesthetic and environmental benefits. The dark envelope blends harmoniously with the vegetation, while offering durable protection against weathering. This material authenticity underscores the project’s commitment to sustainability and timelessness, ensuring that the house ages gracefully within its natural context.

With a floor area of 191 sqm, complemented by a 32 sqm garage, the house occupies a footprint of nearly 290 sqm. Despite its scale, the design remains precise and grounded, attentive to both the vastness of the site and the intimacy of daily life. Aurensan’s architectural language balances constructional rigor with a poetic sense of place, ensuring that the house is not only functional but also emotionally resonant.

A graduate of the Paris‑Belleville School of Architecture in 2015, Margot Aurensan continues here her exploration of inhabiting sensitive landscapes. This project exemplifies her ability to merge technical discipline with artistic vision, creating architecture that is modest, contextual, and deeply connected to its environment. It is a house that respects its site, celebrates its views, and demonstrates how thoughtful design can harmonize with nature.