This project proposes a new building with a simple and clearly identifiable volume. It takes the form of a fairly slim cuboid with a gable roof and a large overhang on the village square side. The new volume is perfectly in line with the existing old Town Hall building. On the plan, the extension proposes an evidently narrower volume than the existing building. In section, the model (3 floors + basement + attics) adopts the same slope for the roof as that of the old Town Hall, while being lower and fitting under the latter’s eaves.
The old Town Hall’s roof and corners are thus left free, making the new and existing parts clearly distinguishable. The other direct result of having a new slim building aligned with the old one, is the large space it consequently provides in front of the church entrance. Instead of the current narrow street, it creates a "real" forecourt, where people can gather in front of the church.
It is also interesting to compare the new shape of the public space (the void) with the form of the building (the solid). The public space opens up as one goes down the street towards the church. The siting of the new building follows the idea of a “stepped” street, with a regular gap between each building, ending with the creation of the church forecourt. Through its very slender proportions and its gable roof, the new building aims to create a subtle dialogue with the present church by offering a "face" (the facade with the overhang) perfectly perpendicular to the church front.
The treatment of the facades (an exposed concrete framework with timber infill) gives the project a unique character that is closer to the village’s existing church and farms than to the small apartment buildings built there since the 1970’s. As the issue of structure is central to the project, the facades do not attempt in any way to conceal the concrete framework that governs the spatial organization of the building. Here, no envelope "wraps" the construction: the section is the facade. The project thus proposes a large concrete skeleton housing the residents’ rooms.
