Kebony met with architect Julien Labrousse at his home in Portugal, owner and author of Etosoto Houses, in Cabo Espichel, Arrábida, for a brief exchange of views on his latest project.
Julien Labrousse, tell us a little about yourself and how you became interested in Portugal?
Julien: I discovered Portugal through tourist trips, like most foreign people. I fell in love with landscapes and nature. Portugal is fortunate to have a very preserved coast, which is very rare in Europe. In addition, I discovered a culture and sensitivity in Portugal that I really appreciate. I decided that the richness of the Arrábida region was an incredible place for the creation of the Etosoto project. We found this place and the adventure started.
Someone once said that “architecture is a state of mind and not a profession” … To what extent did your view of the world and your personality influence you in choosing Kebony to cover your home in Cabo de Espichel?
Julien: The project I am trying to put together aims to explore this movement that defends an architecture that uses the whole “culture” of bioclimatic construction, more generally a frugal architecture. One of the components of this approach is the objective of being “Cradle to Cradle”. That’s why we chose Kebony products. The aim is to be able to give various lives to materials in the life cycles of buildings, or even other lives through other uses. And, second, we selected Kebony wood in the desire to make buildings with an indoor air without pollutants.
Could you tell us a little about your next plans, namely how the Etosoto Cabo de Espichel project will evolve. Will you continue to focus on natural, durable and sustainable materials, such as Kebony?
Julien: The Etosoto Cabo Espichel project focuses on the goal of using materials that are as natural and as local as possible. In a pictorial way, we would like to make an indigenous architecture, in the sense that it would use only materials native to the project area. 96% of the materials used in the project are wood and a little stone. All wood and stone will come from exploration located in the project area. Also, the visual aspect of Kebony wood after aging is very appealing and natural. Several Kebony wood lodging units and facilities will merge with the surroundings.