Chalet NÊ in the French Alps

 Haute-Savoie, France

Interior Architecture: A Work Of Substance

Photos  ©  Harold De Puymorin

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A Work Of Substance:

Sheltering an itinerant family of four with roots in the east and west, chalet nê celebrates and encapsulates the warmth, sense of community, and artistry of east asian mountain cultures from its perch in the french alps. Reflecting local building techniques and a sensitive gathering of resources from the chalet’s natural context, we symbolise the reverence early mountain tribes held for nature and its living denizens.

A steep cascade of pitched roofs topped with local larch wood shingles recall the peaks of the alps and himalayas, while ancestral stone wall patterns and intricate carpentry define the stalwart walls upholding the cavernous roofs. Doorframe entrances and balustrade carvings pay homage to the drukgyel dzong monastery in bhutan, complemented by the la chaux plaster tempering the grain of the space’s reclaimed wood panels.

An indoor pool in the chalet’s lowermost level opens to views of an evergreen carpet of pine forests below and craggy, ivory peaks on the horizon.

The constant call for exploration and discovery is one the family that calls Chalet Nê home cannot resist. The chalet lies await, a nest, as its name of Savoyard origin suggests, ready to recharge and embrace its inhabitants as they wait in anticipation for their next journey.