The Rudin House's deliberately simple silhouette has been likened to a child's drawing of a house. It is finished in raw concrete, and is raised up on a platform, almost like a plinth supporting a sculpture. The architects themselves describe its shape as a "heavy and archetypal volume, that seems to be suspended above the gentle slope, demonstrating its desire to be perceived as an abstract object".
Almost all excess ornamentation has been dispensed with. Rather than spoil the façade with guttering, for instance, the architects devised a metal drip strip that guides the rainwater into a pond on the western side.
The house is located in the Haut-Rhin département, in the north-east corner of France. It is surrounded by fruit trees and meadows.
Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron were awarded the Pritzker Prize, architecture's highest honour, in 1991. Their most notable work in the UK is the Tate Modern gallery in London.
Contact:
Matt Gibberd at The Modern House
mg@themodernhouse.net
Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. The Modern House has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.