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, an abode that augurs respite while stoking the fires of exploration and a pursuit of the climb in equal measure. The chalet’s robust, three-level form projects tactile hardiness against the elements. A pine board façade and a textural base of masonry grey stone describe the architectural palette, reflecting local building culture and a sensitive gathering of resources from its natural context; it is symbolic of the reverence early mountain tribes hold for nature and its living denizens. A steep cascade of pitched roofs recalls the jagged peaks of the Alps and Himalayas, topped with local larch wood shingles. Ancestral stone wall patterns and intricate carpentry define the stalwart walls that hold up the cavernous roofs. An ornate entrance portal, along with intricate patterned balustrades within and without, pay homage to the Drukgyel Dzong monastery in Bhutan, a welcome sight for weary souls and an exquisite display of Tibetan artistry and spirituality.
Within, the spaces hum with a spatial mantra of wood and stucco that is as much a showcase of local craftsmanship as it is a reminder of the elemental nature of its highland context. The la chaux plaster’s textural swirls temper the intense warmth and grain of the reclaimed wood panels. The two materials’ solemn chant echoes across plush rooms and spaces adorned with some of the family’s most prized travel mementos. 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.
Team:
Designer: A Work Of Substance
Photographer: Harold De Puymorin
