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A hilltop barn in Auvergne becomes a place for quiet retreat and long views.
La Grange Rouge stands alone on a forested ridge in Auvergne, facing out over the volcanic hills of Puy de Dôme. It was once a barn—practical, agricultural, unremarkable—but its frame is still here, painted a deep red that glows in the western sun. Berlin-based architect Sigurd Larsen worked with the owners to convert the building into a holiday home, keeping the volume intact while rethinking the way space is experienced inside. The new structure holds onto its rural character, but it’s no longer a place of work. It’s a place to stay, to gather, or to be alone.
The layout works like a small cluster of buildings under one roof. Three bedrooms are treated as individual “tiny houses”—self-contained rooms, each with a strong orientation toward the view. Beds are placed to face the valley. Between these bedrooms sits a shared living area, open and spare, shaped more like a plaza than a lounge. The fourth volume, the kitchen, completes the sequence. All four structures sit beneath the same roof, but with space left in between. The design lets each area feel separate without closing anything off. There are no hallways. The house moves from one zone to the next in a continuous flow.
Materials do most of the work. The original steel frame was kept and painted in a red tone drawn from the local earth and the evening sky. That color threads through the rest of the house. It reads clearly against the green of the forest and the pale grass in summer. Inside, surfaces are minimal and warm, with wood and neutral finishes that don’t distract from the view. The dining table faces outward, extending toward the landscape without ornament. The intent is clear: you eat, and you look.
There’s an outdoor bathtub tucked beneath the eaves—just far enough under cover to use year-round. From there, guests can watch the morning light spread through the trees or breathe the cold air on winter nights. It’s one of several small moments throughout the project where domestic space meets open land without hard boundaries.
Outside, the architects worked with the natural slope of the hill. The meadows around the house were restored rather than landscaped. Paths cut through the grasses, leading to scattered seating areas set into the terrain. Each is placed for a different vantage point—some toward the valley, others into the forest, some closer in. These small additions let guests move through the landscape without disturbing it.
La Grange Rouge sits easily in its surroundings. Its proportions follow the original barn, but the layout opens up new ways of living in the landscape. The house invites movement—between rooms, across the terrace, through the meadows. Views are framed without being forced. Each part of the structure responds to light, weather, and use in a way that feels direct and unhurried. It’s a place made for quiet days, shared meals, and the long horizon beyond.
Photography: Kkrom Serrvices
