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Origin and history

The house Unal is a contemporary construction of type house bubble, located in the hamlet of Chapias, in Labeaume (Ardèche). It is part of the current sculpture architecture, analysed by Michel Ragon, and is distinguished by its organic forms, similar to mushroom or nested bubbles. Built directly on the rock without foundation, it uses the technique of concrete veil without formwork, privileged for bubble houses. Joël Unal, a pioneer of self-construction, has evolved his home by living there, while sharing his know-how in the book Practice of the Concrete Sailing in Self-construction.

The plans of the house were designed by architect Claude Haüsermann-Costy, but Joël and Claude Unal actively participated in its construction and development between 1973 and 2008. The house consists of several adjacent bubbles, organized according to family life and the constraints of the site. A swimming pool, a terrace and an additional bathroom (Diane's bathroom) were added between 1996 and 2008. The ensemble rests on a forest plot, with unsplit spaces and furniture integrated with architecture.

Unal received the "Twentieth Century Heritage" label in 2004 and was listed for historical monuments on April 22, 2010. This protection covers the house, its swimming pool, terrace, Diane's bathroom and the floor of plot F 175. It is the second largest house in France, after the Gaudet house of Antti Lovag in Tourrettes-sur-Loup. Its originality lies in its sculptural approach and its self-construction process, documented by Joël Unal himself.

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