Founded in Pairs by Arthur Ozenne and Mathilde Gaudemet, a somewhat eccentric studio is developing a uniquely poetic take on architecture. The curiously named DIXNEUFCENTQUATREVINGTSIX (1986) has found widespread acclaim for its Benoit & Roselyne house in Nimes, France – a monolithic sculptural volume that rises out of the surrounding vegetation obliquely.
‘Our practice is characterised by the versatility of the projects on which we work,’ the duo explains. ‘We seek the right questions and bring the answers that make sense, having an iconoclastic look at programmes or often standardised situations.’
Iconoclastic is right. Benoit & Roselyne, with its stark, white facade and tight internal angles is challenging, particularly as a residential property for a growing family. But, in its strangeness there is beauty. A patchwork of oddly-sized windows scales a bedroom wall; a winding staircase folds in on itself, the roof is idiosyncratically pitched, through finely assembled geometries. This is rebellious architecture with an academic backbone.
