Sous Les Arbes

Set within a sloping coastal site overlooking Vazon Bay, Sous Les Arbres is a substantial contemporary family home designed to embed itself within the site’s topography and surrounding landscape through a confident yet carefully considered architectural response. Conceived as a series of interlocking volumes stepping down the hillside, the house reveals itself gradually, minimising its visual impact while maximising its connection to the landscape and coastal setting. The dwelling addresses the road as a discreet single-storey form, allowing it to sit comfortably within the streetscape. As the land falls away, the home unfolds to reveal generous, light-filled living spaces, expansive terraces and panoramic sea views. This layered arrangement creates a strong relationship between architecture, landscape and daily life, balancing openness and outlook with privacy and shelter from the coastal environment. A refined material palette grounds the home within its setting. Charred larch-clad volumes recede into the surrounding tree canopy, while a smooth limestone base anchors the building into the hillside. Dark bronze detailing and graphite zinc elements bring depth, durability and precision to the overall composition. The project was delivered through a close collaboration with the client and interior designer, Cohen Wright Design. This integrated approach informed the spatial planning, material selection and uncompromising attention to detail throughout, creating a seamless relationship between architecture and interior design. Sous Les Arbres is a distinctive and carefully crafted home that brings together landscape, architecture and interiors through clarity, restraint and craftsmanship, creating a lasting and sensitive addition to Guernsey’s coastal environment.