Performance at the heart of Normandy’s bocage landscape
Set in the heart of the Normandy bocage, Écurie de la Godardière occupies a preserved landscape with far-reaching views towards the horizon. The fragmented plots, pronounced topography and protected natural areas where construction is prohibited placed considerable constraints on the choice of location. Yet the selected site ultimately emerged as the natural choice: not only was it the only one capable of accommodating the programme, it also offered the finest landscape and climatic conditions.
The project brings together a training stable for fourteen showjumping horses, an outdoor arena and all the spaces required for its day-to-day operation. As the horses spend their days out at pasture, the stable was conceived as a place for rest, care and preparation, organised around clear and efficient circulation routes.
The topography shapes the project. The stable and arena step down the slope across a series of terraces, creating a tiered composition that preserves the views and minimises the visual impact of the buildings within the landscape. The connections between the different levels are both functional and visual. The office terrace extends into a viewing stand overlooking the arena, creating a place from which to observe the activity at its very heart.
The retaining walls required to form the terraces become architectural elements in their own right. Through a series of recesses and varying depths, they provide storage for jump poles around the perimeter of the arena. Equipment usually confined to a technical storage area thus becomes part of the design, while remaining immediately accessible when setting the courses.
In response to the strength of the landscape, the architecture remains deliberately understated. Its simple volumes and carefully resolved construction details create a language that brings the traditional stable into dialogue with contemporary architecture ; a measured presence, designed to complement the site rather than impose upon it.
