Modern timber frame oyster shack grows a garden on its roof

French studio Raum Architects completed what may be the most elegant oyster shack in the world.

Set in the Bretagne countryside in France, the black-stained timber frame houses an oyster farm and a temporary dwelling for an oyster farmer. The green-roofed structure was created with a high attention to detail that belies its simple design.

The charming oyster shack is divided into two parts: an oyster hangar and the living spaces comprising the kitchen, dining room, living room, and bedroom. A kink in the roof and building help delineate the two zones. A large sliding door provides outdoor access to the oyster hangar, or workspace, and a large floor-to-ceiling opening covered in translucent plastic and wooden slats brings in generous amounts of natural light.

In contrast to the spartan workspace, the main living areas on the other end of the building are much homier. The rooms are lined with white-painted timber, gray flooring, and numerous glazed openings, including a large window seating area that frames seaside views. Although the two areas of the building can be treated as separate wings, they can also be visually physically united through the centrally located patio, which serves as a transitional space. The oyster shack can be instantly transformed by opening the glass sliding doors and the wood barn door that surround the patio.

A green roof with plants grown during the project’s four-month construction tops the oyster shack. A set of stairs allows access to the roof, which offers fantastic views of the sea and surrounding landscape.