La Clusaz Mountain apartment
La Clusaz, France.
Residential Renovation.
Completed April 2025.
In the heart of the Haute-Savoie, France, a New Zealand couple sought to change a cramped apartment into a warm and light mountain retreat for their dispersed family to come together on the other side of the world.
A challenging 70m2 footprint with low ceiling heights called for a refined, minimal approach to the architecture, emphasising vertical proportion and natural light. A central entry hallway separates the oak-lined living, bathroom and sleeping blocks, with discrete sliding panels to provide privacy or openness depending on the number of people in the apartment. In the dining zone, a banquette corner window seat offers a zone for many or few to share a meal together while watching the ski lifts in the distance.
The interior combines a French mountain aesthetic with the freshness of a New Zealand perspective. In the small space, a minimal palette of off-white plastered walls, smoked oak panelling and leather-finish granite flows throughout, tying the elements together. Selected New Zealand art pieces hang proudly on the walls, including three of artist Max Gimblett’s brass quatrefoils - part of the 7,000 that made up the original artwork ‘Remembrance’ dedicated to New Zealand soldiers who lost their lives, many in Europe, in World War One.
Stone Masonry: Marbres & Decos, Sallanches
Wooden panelling: Decospan via Lalliard, Sallanches