If you weren't looking closely, it would be easy to assume that the large lump of rock pictured is just a natural feature of the topography in Monaco. However, it's actually a remarkable energy-efficient luxury residence by Jean-Pierre Lott Architecte.
Bringing to mind the Antoine tiny house, though on a much larger scale, Villa Troglodyte's lower section is hollowed out of the original cliff face that was already on the site, with doors and windows cut into it, while the upper part is all new and made from concrete and artificial rock. Judging from the photos at least, the result looks authentic and it appears to be one large chunk of rock.
Visitors enter into a large reception room on the ground floor that contains a swimming pool. A garage with an electric charging station is also nearby. There's not a whole lot of glazing, though a skylight with automatic blinds is installed in the roof and sections of flooring are also glazed, to help the light permeate down to the ground floor.
The second floor, which is reached by stairs or elevator, contains a spacious living room, the master bathroom, and the kitchen and dining area. The remaining three floors contain bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathroom.
Though calling this house "green" would be pushing it, given the large amount of concrete used for its construction and its size, Villa Troglodyte does feature significant sustainable elements. Recycled wood from pilings used in mussel culture systems was used for the flooring and sustainably-grown wood was sourced for the doors and staircases. Additionally, cork was used for insulation and the roof is topped with a solar panel array that produces up to 1,400 kWh/year.
A greywater recycling system is installed to cut down on water use, and there's an energy-efficient geothermal heating and ventilation system too.
According to Jean-Pierre Lott Architecte, the home uses less than 40 percent the energy of a conventional French home and it has been awarded the Excellent Design Stage level of the British BREEAM certification (a green building standard).
Villa Troglodyte was completed a few months ago and also involved Atelier Raymond. We've no word on how much it cost to build, though Reuters reports that it's on the market and expected to fetch up to €40 million (roughly US$44 million).
Source: Jean-Pierre Lott Architecte