CREDITS
Product: Pellet stove Alea
Project: Didier Rensonnet
Photos: Barbara Brixhe
Installation: Cheminée Liegeois
The project
We are in Spa, in the Ardennes, the place of wellbeing par excellence, which has given its name to all health resorts around the world. Here, Marion Meurant and Benoit Calozet allow their guests to live a dream, immersed in the old-growth forests of the Hautes Fagnes. “Le chant des étoiles” (the name ‘the song of the stars’ is already a little poem in itself) is a wood and glass bubble under the starry sky with a heartwarming flame at the centre.
As the landlady explains, this type of structure is technically called a “zome”, which derives from the words “zonohedron” and “dome”. It is a type of building that mimics the geometries of the animal kingdom, such as hives, or the plants’ one, such as pine cones or sunflowers, and is normally made of natural and recyclable materials.
“The particular feature of our zome is that it is built entirely of glass and is therefore open and airy, just like a bubble immersed in nature”, says Marion.
The project was built according to green building and also includes an environmentally sustainable and renewable heating system.
“At the beginning we used small electric radiators, which were nowhere near our idea of respecting the environment, besides being objectively very expensive”, says Marion.
“Our initial idea was to install a wood-burning stove, but we quickly realised that it would not be ideal from a practical perspective. The pellet stove is the right compromise between practicality and the beauty of the flame.”
Therefore, a night at Le chant des étoiles, complemented by a delicious organic breakfast, turns into a full-immersion experience in nature, while respecting its balance as much as possible.
THE PELLET STOVE
The structure is heated entirely by a pellet stove – the Alea model by MCZ –, which is perfect for well-insulated environments like this one.“An open flame undoubtedly adds charm to the cabin,” explains Marion.
“Plus, when I explain to my guests that the stove is turned on and off by pressing a button, they are amazed.”
To keep the environmental impact even more neutral, the stove burns pellets that are produced less than 30 km away, with virgin wood waste from local forests.
The selected stove Alea has a very understated geometric design that blends well with the natural colours and Nordic style of the rest of the cabin.
The cladding is in black painted steel and the compact size is ideal so that not too much space is taken.
It is easy and handy to manage with its control panel fitted on the top or with the remote control, supplied as an optional extra.
THE "CABANE"
The Zome is composed of 115 assembled elements and 77 double-glazed windows.Wood is the main feature: Swedish wood framework, outer cladding in Belgian fir, and semi-solid Belgian oak flooring.
The dimensions are interesting: with a height of 3.6 meters, the dome has a diameter of 5.86 meters at a height of 100 cm and 4.86 meters at ground level.
"The desire for cabins stems from the need to be close to nature and the need for simplicity, away from all the demands created by society. It's also about touching the wood, working outdoors, interacting with clients who have generally already achieved quite a bit in life, respecting trees and nature, and many other things as well." Didier Rensonnet www.cabanade.be
