Lennox Residence

Programme: Construction of a residential facility for patients with severe epilepsy

About: Since 1984, the William Lennox residence has welcomed patients with severe epilepsy. The project involves the design of a new building intended for around fifteen patients, dedicated to acoustic and visual simulation activities. Located within a pine grove at the edge of the Bois de Lauzelle, a protected Natura 2000 site, the project takes the form of a 260 m² glazed rectangular volume. Its timber and steel structure rests on concrete stilts, preserving the continuity of the forest floor. Carefully positioned among the existing trees, the building appears to float within its natural surroundings.
Accessed via an elevated walkway, the interior is organized around two functional volumes clad in red linoleum, housing offices, sanitary facilities, and storage. A მოძრable partition allows the spaces to be adapted to changing needs. The architecture fosters a constant relationship with the surrounding environment through a high degree of transparency, conceived with therapeutic intent: it enables patients—often heavily disabled—to remain connected to a natural setting from which they are usually deprived, offering a sense of calm and relief.
The project is distinguished by its sensitive integration into the site and its attentive response to users. Its aesthetic restraint aims to recede into the background, ensuring that the built form does not distract from the patients’ primary sensory experiences, which are oriented toward nature.