project restoration – complete
client Mme et M CoCo
project manager  CoCo architecture
date 2012 (original building from 1962)
footprint 100 m²
location Cénac (24)

The CoCo house was built in the 1960s. Its recent renovation explores the comfort, spatial and thermal considerations of a house of today. To achieve this, the project used and optimised all possible spaces within the house. The commercial office has replaced the existing garage and a child’s play area cuts into the alcoves of the roof. Located at the entrance of the house, the kitchen has become the lungs, linking all areas together.

The house’s thermal performance has been a key area of development. A geothermal heat pump has been installed as well as high level insulation in the exterior walls. Together they stabilise the internal temperature of the house regardless of external weather conditions. The geothermal pump provides the house with a temperature taken from 40m below ground level, at a depth where the earth’s temperature remains constant throughout the year. Another advantage of this technology is the small surface area it uses. As 20cm diameter hole, this system does not require a large external area, proving that geothermal heating systems are perfect for house renovations.

Photo credits: Edouard Decam.