A durable, mixed-material cladding envelops the house designed by architect Émile Tribolet, whose practice centres on the principles of reuse, upcycling and material efficiency. The complete reconfiguration of the building’s functions provided an opportunity to reconnect it with its site.

Located north of Liège, near the three large slag heaps of Le Thier, the 1930s house sits set back from the street, partly anchored into a slope with a height difference of 15 metres. The property comprises various levels of garden, the highest of which had been somewhat neglected. Yet in this otherwise ordinary dwelling (fairly low-rise, elongated in plan, and where light struggles to penetrate), this unique topography is an asset that did not leave the architect indifferent. After living there for a few years, he finally decided what to do with it. Opting for a renovation, he thus reaffirmed his practice, resolutely guided by a deep environmental awareness.