SOLD : On the commune of Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, this villa with strikingly assertive architecture is the work of architect and designer Michel Tortel.

Like a wedge of hillside undergoing creation, the villa emerges from nature, blending with the topography of the wooded grounds of 5,427 sq. metres. Glass, concrete and steel are intertwined like a game of Mikado to form this light and airy futuristic architecture.

In the midst of a dense oakwood, the villa clings to the eastern side of Mount Aurélien, offering a panoramic view of La Sainte-Baume and the mountains of Le Verdon. It is a 20-minute drive from Aix-en-Provence, 45 minutes form Marseille Airport, and 1 hr 30 mins. from Nice.

The property is built on three floors whose design prolongs certain lines of the natural rock, creating belvederes overlooking nature. It offers generous living space of 340 sq. metres within a total surface area of 400 sq. metres. Entirely comprised of glass, the facade reflects the vegetation thanks to its slightly slanted orientation, making the architecture almost unnoticeable amidst the trees.

The ground floor offers an impressive living area with a vast glass window surveying nature, comprised of a lounge basking in sunlight, vegetation and the sky, an open-plan kitchen with a slate worktop, a dining-room, set back to the north an area of 90 sq. metres currently used as a study, and a bedroom with shower room. The main room is overlooked by a mezzanine, giving a double ceiling height and thus ensuring a pleasant sensation if infinite open space. This floor is extended by a long terrace parallel to the house. The use of polished concrete for the floors is taken up on the terrace, providing continuity and a feeling of living outdoors.
A spiral staircase made of wood and perforated steel leads to the upper floor, connecting the sleeping quarters to the everyday animation of the living area. This mezzanine floor consists of three bedrooms including a suite with a walk-in closet and a bathroom open to the sky, another bathroom and a large lounge with hearth. Inside the villa, the oblique walls accentuate the building’s elongated effect. As for the lower level, this entire floor is clad with smart polished concrete which makes way for wooden decking on the mezzanine to provide continuity with the vast terrace around the pool, sheltered by the impressive cantilever of the roof at the front.
The terrace leading to the 20-metre pool is sheltered by this openwork cap of concrete, protecting the wall of glass from the sun. A summer kitchen next to the pool echoes the villa’s architectural design with its long lines and oblique walls.
A basement of 60 sq. metres completes the property, comprised of a den with recreation room, a laundry room and garage.

In addition to its esthetic architectural appeal, the villa offers insulated glass, ventilated roofing, underfloor heating, an air/air heat pump, a rainwater collection tank to ensure maximum energy savings.

For nature-lovers and fans of pure, discreet architecture. Living space which enables its occupants to discover a new angle, a new reflection, a new surprise, every day, depending on the light and seasons…

(Agency fees of 4.00% including tax included in the selling price paid by the buyer)