On the side of the road overlooking Cap-à-l’Aigle, in Charlevoix, a cottage – unless it’s a barn! – stands up without shocking the eye. Clad in wood weathered by the salty air, she is a pretty cheat in a country dress which only reveals her true face when you sink into her bowels. The space then multiplies. The atmosphere is transformed. We are elsewhere, in the warm and imposing universe of Arches.
In their spare time, some paint and others strum their guitars. Florent Moser drew a house and made it appear in the landscape of La Malbaie. “Would you like to be an artist? », we ask jokingly. The question is easy, we agree, although the main person concerned does not deny it. “When you get to about the middle of your life, you wonder if you made the right choices and what motivated the ones you made. For my part, I have always loved architecture without having any great talent in drawing. I gave myself this house for pure pleasure. »
It should be noted that Florent Moser did not cut his teeth in construction, a field in which he has worked for more than 15 years as a developer and general contractor. Through his company, Demonfort, and the prestigious housing hamlet that he co-founded in the heights of Charlevoix, Teracea, he has collaborated with some of the most beautiful names in Quebec architecture, including Charles Côté (Mu Architecture) , Maxime Frappier (ACDF Architecture) and Alain Carle (Atelier Carle).
“Having worked on several large condo building projects, such as La Chapelle d’Outremont,” he says, “I was not afraid of the challenges that this house presented on a technical level. » Les Arches nonetheless remains an ambitious project on a residential scale. The house is essentially located in the ground, inside a concrete shell which required the removal of a portion of the land, then used to bury the building. This unusual process is based not on an artist’s fantasy, but on the integration of this building into the landscape and on its energy-efficient performance.
With its simple lines that evoke old agricultural buildings, the emerging point of Arches is part of the vernacular architecture of Charlevoix. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Nestled in its earthen sleeve which insulates it, the lower volume unfolds exponentially and opens onto a spectacular view brought to life by the movements of the river.
It was in order not to block or change this landscape which benefits another house, located higher up, that the idea of burying Les Arches was born. “I like that we create surprise, that there is an aspect of discovery and the unexpected. But beyond this point, there was that of building a house that was as energy independent as possible. »
By its orientation, the main building benefits from an entry of heat and light from the southwest. In summer, a structural cap blocks the entry of light rays and helps keep the interior cool. The winter sun, lower down, penetrates through all the rooms and is stored in the masonry of the floor. But above all… “The earth acts as an insulating blanket for heat and noise, and keeps a constant temperature inside,” argues its designer.
One of the challenges, in these conditions, was to ensure adequate ventilation of the premises. “Since we only have one section of wall underground, the house acts as a chimney. By opening the windows to this height, we create a draft which ensures good air circulation in the main house,” explains the builder.
An underground house spontaneously generates images of a cave and therefore of a dark and humid environment. We are far from it in the lair of the Arches. This den remains bright with its all-glass wall and 10-foot-high ceilings.
The barn, surrounded by a flowery field, seems to have been part of the landscape for a long time. We enter to discover a large vestibule. From there the country decor of a charming cottage is revealed which accommodates a suite and a games room, on two different levels. When you take the staircase, the backbone of the project, another atmosphere is revealed on the lower floor.
“I am of Swiss origin and I have a particular affection for European aesthetics,” confides Florent Moser. The bottom floor reflects this aspect of me and my travels in Europe. When I designed this house, I had just returned from a stay in Bordeaux, in Saint-Émilion, where I visited monasteries. From there came the inspiration for the alley lined with arches which recalls the interior courtyards of these monuments. »
Masonry is a predominant element of the decor. It bears witness to an architecture built by the hands of men and women. The stone is warmed by the presence of wood. The same materials were used on the exterior to blur the boundaries. The kitchen, by today’s standards, is relatively modest for the scale of the premises: a deliberate choice.
“For some reason, the trend is to want to define the value of a house by its kitchen. Finally, we realize that it’s not so pleasant to cook in too big a room. There is something warm about being close to each other and having everything at hand,” the designer believes.
Some houses impose themselves on their land: a failure in the architect’s duty which is to integrate his creations into their environment, believes Florent Moser. Les Arches proves the opposite. “I am proud of this comfortable and intimate home. The only problem is that cellular waves have difficulty entering. But ultimately, it’s a blessing in disguise when you’re there to disconnect. It forces the trigger! »
