Maison calendrée

 

Troyes, being a city surrounded by forests, has historically developed a predominantly wooden architecture. Half-timbered structures, using the half-timbering technique, became the dominant construction method. This technique made it possible to rationalize the use of resources by replacing long pieces of wood with shorter ones, facilitating procurement and assembly.

 

In 1524, a devastating two-day fire destroyed much of the city. Following this disaster, the use of wood was gradually reduced in favor of stone. However, its high cost limited access to it to the wealthiest classes.

 

Modest households, for their part, rebuilt timber-framed houses known as calendered houses. These buildings retained a timber-framed structure but were covered with a decorative oak or white wood cladding, simulating stonework. This treatment incorporated moldings, pilasters, and entablatures, borrowing from the vocabulary of classical architecture, in order to reproduce its appearance without incurring the structural costs.

 

The project involves the renovation of a house of this type, built in the 19th century and deliberately camouflaged to resemble a stone building. The ground floor, originally used for commercial purposes, notably housed a butcher's shop—as evidenced by the old salting vats preserved in the cellar—while the upper floors were intended for residential use.

 

The work aims to create an architectural practice on the ground floor with accommodation upstairs. The work undertaken was limited to the restoration of architectural elements damaged or distorted over time, with a view to respecting the original building.

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