ECOTONE 49° S

alix Boucherat January 31, 2026

0 Comments

Team

Name: Alix BOUCHERAT

Instagram: alix_bct

Nationality: FRENCH

Institution / Company: ECOLE NATIONALE SUPÉRIEURE D’ARCHITECTURE PARIS-VAL DE SEINE

Name: Sibylle BELTRAN–GRÉMAUD

Instagram: sibylle_bg

Nationality: FRENCH/ENGLISH

Institution / Company: ECOLE NATIONALE SUPÉRIEURE D’ARCHITECTURE PARIS-VAL DE SEINE

At 49° South, Antipodes Island stands as a frontier: an extreme, isolated landscape exposed to harsh winds, yet home to fragile and remarkably rich endemic fauna and flora. This singular ecosystem positions the island as a site of great scientific interest functioning both as a natural laboratory and a protected sanctuary.

The project proposes replacing the existing hut with an autonomous scientific refuge adapted to the site’s extreme conditions. ECOTONE 49°S is conceived as a minimal, functional architectural intervention, organized into three volumes: the laboratory, the communal space, and the researchers’ dormitory. Each is oriented according to the solar cycle, optimizing light while balancing daily work-rest rhythm.

The project’s morphogenesis emerges from the site’s climatic, topographic, and logistical constraints. A butterfly roof collects rainwater into UV-filtered storage tanks; prevailing winds are harnessed by three turbines for energy autonomy. Raised on stilts, the structure lightly touches the ground, minimizing its footprint and adapting to the rugged terrain.

Prefabricated timber-frame modules enable a rapid, lightweight, reversible construction. Materials (geo-sourced timber, New Zealand sheep’s wool insulation, and green zinc) ensure constructive sobriety, durability, and continuity with the landscape.ECOTONE 49°S positions itself as a sensitive interface between architecture, science, and an exceptional natural environment.