Dezeen Magazine

Maison D by Emmanuelle Weiss

French architect Emmanuelle Weiss has added a contrasting dark brick extension to a red brick house outside Lille (+ slideshow).

Maison D by Emmanuelle Weiss

Weiss wanted to create a contemporary extension, but also respect the traditional materials palette. "The chosen materials are an homage to the existing house, but stay in a modern urban context," the architect explained.

Maison D by Emmanuelle Weiss

Unlike the original building, which has a vernacular roof, the extension features an asymmetric roofline that slopes upwards at two opposite corners of the building to form a butterfly shape.

Maison D by Emmanuelle Weiss

The two buildings barely touch, so only a single doorway connects to the existing hallway from a new open-plan living and dining room, while two patios slot into the spaces between.

Maison D by Emmanuelle Weiss

A new staircase leads up to the first floor, where the irregular shape of the roof provides a faceted ceiling over the extra bedroom and dressing room.

Maison D by Emmanuelle Weiss

There is no connection to the main house from these rooms, but a doorway leads out to a small terrace on the roof.

Maison D by Emmanuelle Weiss

See more residential extensions on Dezeen »
See more architecture in France »

Maison D by Emmanuelle Weiss

Photography is by Julien Lanoo.

Maison D by Emmanuelle Weiss

Here's some more information from the architect:


Maison D - Emmanulle Weiss

House D (Maison D) is an extension of a family home in the middle of an urban area on a parcel of land twice as wide as the existing house.

Maison D by Emmanuelle Weiss

The house doubles the linear qualities of the existing house façade, thus unifining a roadside landscape that was deconstructed before. The extention also doubles the importance of the private family garden.

Maison D by Emmanuelle Weiss

The House D extension welcomes all the important living functions, private income patio, kitchen and living room, the architect (Emmanuelle Weiss) chose to incorporate on the first level of the extention an equipped sleeping quarter, with bathroom and a well organised dressing room.

Maison D by Emmanuelle Weiss

The result of this exercise frees up the existing house, wich has mainly become the children's territory. Also now, the complementation of House D makes room to add a large office area in the existing house, addapted to the professional life of its inhabitants.

Maison D by Emmanuelle Weiss

The volume, high levels, low levels: "zones" create a dialogue with the existing typical style house. All the volumes in House D translate into its roofline, bringing a richness to the space. Natural light embraces the volume, sometimes directly, sometimes reflected, it fills the complete project and living quarters.

Maison D by Emmanuelle Weiss

House D is an answer to the existing devision of the main house. Its functional properties talk directly to the vertical circulations of the existing house, it opens up living space.

Maison D by Emmanuelle Weiss

To link the old and new together, the architect chose to use a minimal contact between both architectures. The new differentiates itself on the outside by two little patios, only linking itself to the old on the interior where the new encroaches into the hallway.

Maison D by Emmanuelle Weiss

The chosen materials are an homage to the existing house, but stay in a modern urban context. Dark bricks (reflecting back on a modern way to the dark old red bricks typical for this area) and aluminium detailing show subtle hints to thier surroundings.

Maison D by Emmanuelle Weiss

Above: ground floor plan

Maison D by Emmanuelle Weiss

Above: first floor plan (extension only)