A House-Studio in Laruns Between Reuse and Recomposition

At the foot of the French Pyrenees, in Laruns, a two-storey building concealed generous volumes, an intact timber structure and traces of a previous life beneath layers of cladding and finishes.

Mesnil Architectures has transformed it into a home for a couple of artists: a space designed to accommodate both domestic life and textile production, in direct dialogue with the surrounding landscape and the history of the valley.

Laruns: revealing and reconfiguring the existing structure

The project was guided by the desire to uncover what already existed, following an approach described as “economic, material and ethical.” The removal of suspended ceilings, finishes and cladding gradually revealed the building’s spatial quality, while also exposing traces of its former identity: the ground floor once housed a vehicle repair workshop, while the upper level served as office space.

Reuse and self-building became central principles of the intervention, closely aligned with the owners’ artistic practice, itself rooted in recovery and transformation. Materials removed during demolition were not treated as waste, but reintegrated into the project through new functions: an old floor slab became a finish for ceilings, partitions and drawers; joists were repurposed for the woodshed and outdoor furniture; doors, stones and even a miller’s ladder found new life inside the house.

The renovation thus takes shape as a process of transformation through subtraction and recomposition. The construction site itself reflects an idea of collaboration, thanks to the involvement of local craftspeople and the direct participation of the clients.

A tribute to the territory

The relationship with the surrounding context informed every construction choice, both through a deliberate opening towards the landscape and through a contemporary reinterpretation of local architecture. Examples include the new attic structure resting on the existing beams, oriented towards the mountains and inspired by the vernacular forms of the Béarn region, as well as the covered terrace, which reimagines the traditional galleries of the Ossau Valley once used to dry and preserve food.

The discovery of a concrete portal belonging to the workshop’s former vehicular entrance led to a generous enlargement of the main opening, allowing abundant natural light to enter the interior. This continuity between inside and outside is further reinforced by elements such as the timber structure and a large metal canopy extending the living space outward.

The garden follows the same logic of reuse and material continuity: stones and pebbles recovered from demolition are combined with local plant species in a composition inspired by the beds of mountain streams.

Inside, the design prioritises openness and adaptability. A new circulation system frees the main spaces towards the south and the mountain views; the kitchen, workspace and living area unfold as a single continuous environment that extends from the entrance to the garden.