The ‘Chalet’ is by far the most famous product of Swiss architecture. The wooden dwellings with sloping roof and over hanging eaves, are as much a part of the Swiss landscape as theAlps themselves. The single storey bunkers traditionally served as seasonal farms for dairy cattle in the summer months, and haven’t changed much since these humble beginnings.
But high up on a mountain pass in the Bernese Oberland, a new type of seasonal home has emerged as a stark contrast to the timber heavy squats the country is so famed for. With its back turned to the harsh northerly winds, this contemporary take on the log cabin straddles the vistas to the south via a huge five meter glass pane that invites the landscape to fill its vast, open plan spaces.
Swiss planning regulators favor lots of small, pokey windows, this house is anything but. Rather than shielding its inhabitants from the outdoors, the house embraces the mountainous terrain, with large glass doors opening out onto the wooden terrace that appears to float alongside the house.
With its elegant, concrete slab base, it juts out into the landscape like a beached vessel. The domineering fireplace runs through the core of the building, dragging its brutal lines from the basement to the roof three floors above.
Up the handsome open-tread staircase the bedrooms and bathrooms blend into a continuous passage that invites you to keep moving. The large, panoramic windows throughout keep the house light and airy,while the double insulated walls and thick wood decking keep the cool temperatures out. The sparse furnishings and sleek lines are a bold statement that matches the buildings unrelenting exterior. Rather than cluttering the house with gaudy ornaments and stuffy fixtures, it playso n the sparse landscape it so elegantly sits in.
Traditional chalets have a tendency to shy away from the landscape,sealing off its inhabitants to the beauty of the environment it inhabits. This building however, embraces the countryside with an unyielding arrogance and swagger. Perching precariously at thetip of a mountain, it stares boldly at its surroundings. The interior eschews its contemporary credentials with clean, simple lines and muted colors. But at the same time, it feels traditional,homely, and welcoming. A small homage to the portly abodes that continue to dominate the Swiss landscape. By Matthew Hussey
Recent posts
-
September 12, 2023
Government Office, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Polish-born, Abu Dhabi-based designer Agata Kurzela has completed an impressive refurbishment of a 1908 heritage building in Abu Dhabi’s historic Khor Al Maqta district. In the...
-
September 9, 2023
Il Ristoro di Cristiano Filippini, Castelfranco di Sopra, Tuscany, Italy
Every day since its opening in 1785, Antica Macelleria Filippini Cristiano at Piazza Vittorio Emanuele has been the destination of meat-loving inhabitants of the small...
-
September 4, 2023
Obumex Showroom – Paris, France
Obumex, the Belgian studio known for handcrafted luxury kitchens as well as complete interiors and renovations has opened its first showroom in Paris. Located at...
-
September 1, 2023
Zaura Jewellery Boutique, Ahmedabad, India
More a showroom than a shop, the first location of Zaura jewelry is a fantastic juxtaposition of elements: Bulky rock vs. dainty filigree jewelry. But...
-
August 9, 2023
PNY Burger restaurant, Nantes, France
Opening their 14th PNY Burger restaurant in Nantes, France, is part of the continuous learning process, that the owners, long term friends Graffi Rathamohan and Rudy...
-
July 17, 2023
The Dolli Hotel – Athens, Greece (Review)
Never thought we would say this about a hotel anywhere, but perfection has indeed arrived in the Athens hotel scene in the form of Grecotel’s...
-
May 26, 2023
Renovation of A. Quincy Jones’s Smalley House, Holmby Hills – Los Angeles, USA
In 2006, when philanthropist and gallerist Shulamit Nazarian bought the famous Smalley House designed by A. Quincy Jones in 1973 on Holmby Hills in Los...
-
May 22, 2023
Loft Renovation, Marais, Paris, France
When we first saw the recent loft renovation project by the Parisian design firm Agence Véronique Cotrel we knew we needed to find out more. The...
-
May 11, 2023
NM Restaurant, Oviedo, Asturia, Spain
Barcelona-based Hazard Studio founder Alfredo Rodriquez has created a tiny puff ball of a restaurant, NM in the revitalized El Vasco Station shopping centre located in...
-
April 12, 2023
Socca Bistro, Mayfair, London, UK
Lyon, France-born, two-Michelin-star chef Claude Bosi has opened a new culinary enterprise, Socca, located on Mayfair’s South Audley Street in a Grade II-listed building. Socca describes its...
-
April 10, 2023
G.Bar Brave Beauty Salon, Kyiv, Ukraine
Starting a business at any time is risky and challenging. Starting one in particularly uncertain times is doubly so. But starting one when your country...
-
April 9, 2023
Officine Universelle Buly Boutique, Kobe, Japan
The LVMH-owned French beauty brand Officine Universelle Buly has recently opened yet another boutique in Japan. It was designed by the brand’s co-owner and creative director...