![Saint-Ange Residency / Studio Odile Decq - Windows, Facade](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/55c1/a444/e58e/ce59/3800/00f4/medium_jpg/Saint_Ange_Residency_Studio_Odile_Decq_RH2375-0036_%C2%A9Roland_Halbe_Courtesy_of_the_architects.jpg?1438753853)
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Architects: Studio Odile Decq
- Area: 185 m²
- Year: 2015
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Photographs:Roland Halbe
![Saint-Ange Residency / Studio Odile Decq - Windows, Facade](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/55c1/a454/e58e/ce59/3800/00f5/newsletter/Saint_Ange_Residency_Studio_Odile_Decq_RH2375-0037_%C2%A9Roland_Halbe_Courtesy_of_the_architects.jpg?1438753866)
Text description provided by the architects. The placement of the Saint-Ange Residency, on the lower side of the plateau of Tour Saint-Ange’s park, beyond the vegetable garden, under the trees and on the slope leading toward the Grenoble’s golf course - was definitively a challenge.
![Saint-Ange Residency / Studio Odile Decq - Concrete, Beam](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/55c1/a488/e58e/cefd/9200/0118/newsletter/Saint_Ange_Residency_Studio_Odile_Decq_RH2375-0067_%C2%A9Roland_Halbe_Courtesy_of_the_architects.jpg?1438753921)
The site is beautiful for its unobstructed view on Grenoble’s valley, but difficult for its hard and narrow slope.
![](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/55c1/a51d/e58e/ce59/3800/00fc/newsletter/Section_01_copy.jpg?1438754063)
This is why, when discovering the site, and despite all the difficulties, creating a view overlooking the entire valley became the dominant idea. A belvedere became the evident solution: to see as much of the valley as pos- sible by going above the trees, but without ever having a reverse view in order to protect the intimacy of the Tour Saint-Ange and its park.
![Saint-Ange Residency / Studio Odile Decq - Deck](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/55c1/a472/e58e/ce59/3800/00f7/newsletter/Saint_Ange_Residency_Studio_Odile_Decq_RH2375-0043_%C2%A9Roland_Halbe_Courtesy_of_the_architects.jpg?1438753899)
The studio was therefore thought of as a kind of tower on 3 different levels that twist to reach the view beyond the valley.
![](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/55c1/a52f/e58e/cefd/9200/011d/newsletter/Section_02_copy.jpg?1438754082)
This is monolithic architecture, a silent piece of art, made entirely from wood, with a natural finish on the inside and a black asphalt finish on the outside. During the daytime, multiple openings on the facade allow the light to pour into the living rooms, the studio and the two levels above - from 3 different directions (except from the north side facing the Tour Saint-Ange).
![Saint-Ange Residency / Studio Odile Decq - Image 6 of 21](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/55c1/a465/e58e/ce59/3800/00f6/medium_jpg/Saint_Ange_Residency_Studio_Odile_Decq_RH2375-0040_%C2%A9Roland_Halbe_Courtesy_of_the_architects.jpg?1438753887)
At night, the wood blinds treated with the exact same finish as the facade hide the windows and allow the monolith to become all black and quiet once again.
![Saint-Ange Residency / Studio Odile Decq - Windows](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/55c1/a45b/e58e/cefd/9200/0116/medium_jpg/Saint_Ange_Residency_Studio_Odile_Decq_RH2375-0038_%C2%A9Roland_Halbe_Courtesy_of_the_architects.jpg?1438753877)