The Tree, Dominique Coulon, and the Media Library

The town of Pélissane is a former fortified city located in the heart of Provence. In the 16th century, thanks to agricultural prosperity, the old town became a residential district, featuring numerous private mansions, including the Maureau House, built in 1642 within a central urban park. The new media library consists of a renovation and extension of this historic house. The project creates a dialogue between two eras and two dimensions: the verticality of the original house and the horizontality of the extension. This dialogue is expressed through the contrast between the seemingly homogeneous façades and the tones and textures of local materials, such as ochre and Rognes stone. The design carefully responds to site-specific constraints, including the root systems of existing trees, the profile of neighboring boundary constructions, and the program requirements, revealing the full potential of the site.