By bringing together two contiguous non-constructible plots, Shelle and Xavier are lucky enough to have one of the last buildable pieces of land in the Croix Saint Jérôme sector of Noisy-sur-Ecole (Seine et Marne). This wooded area with its diverse habitats borders the Massif des Trois Pignons, the western part of the particularly wild Fontainebleau forest. The rocky chaos, sandy stretches and vegetation that compose it once served as a backdrop for the painters of the Barbizon School of Landscape Art. This massif is the most original natural area in the Parisian Basin and is an internationally renowned hiking and climbing destination.

Faced with the challenges of climate change and the scarcity of raw materials, every tonne of CO2 emitted and every kWh consumed counts and brings us a little closer to an uncertain future. In France, buildings are the most energy-consuming sector and the second largest emitter of CO2.

Aware of their opportunity, but also of the responsibility that falls to them, the project owners wish to carry out an exemplary project both in terms of environmental performance and aesthetic aspects.

The entire project will have to meet the Passive House certification requirements of the Passivhaus Institute and reach the lowest possible carbon footprint level of the E+C- experiment launched by the French government.

This project is not just a single-family home project. Its aim is to become a reference in terms of responsible architecture, aware of the energy and environmental challenges we’re facing.