Inside One of France’s First Passive Houses

The home’s central "spine," which Witzmann describes as "the backbone of the house at a load-bearing and technical level," serves as the structure’s organizing principle. It groups the ventilation system and the majority of the electrical networks together and centralizes much of the home’s storage. By siting the living spaces on the south of the house so that they take advantage of the natural light, and placing the sanitary and service rooms on the north, the architects make the most of a smart passive solar layout.