Maison Cazenave / The Cazenave House

The Cazenave House was built in 1965 by Swiss architect Hans Demarmels (1931-2010). It stands on a hill in the southwest of France about an hour from the Atlantic Ocean, the Spanish boarder and the Pyrenees mountains.

Contemporary floor plan of The Cazenave House or - in French - Maison Cazenave (becaus it was built for the Cazenave family) that showcases the artistic quality of the house. Some call it mid-century modern, some call it brutalist - the current owners call it a habitable sculpture.

Each side of The Cazenave House looks like a completely different building. The main living space is a huge wooden pavillion with floor-to-ceiling windows while the bedrooms on the southern and northern end of the house are intimate rooms protected by high walls.

The first sketch for The Cazenave House. The whole house was designed around a huge open fireplace including a conversation pit that easily seats up to ten people. The split-levels of the house follow the gentle slope of the hill it was built upon. From the living room, the bedrooms and terrace you have a vista of the Pyrenees mountains in the distance. For information check www.maisoncazenave.com