2023- 2025 on site
Builder: Bader Holzbau AG
Photography: Piotr Hraptovich und Cristian Oprea
The objectives of the proposed intervention are to address this pre-existing condition while meeting the requirements of a contemporary dwelling for a family of six, with a clear aim of preserving the dignity and character of the existing structure. As a result, the geometry of the house remains largely intact, with the exception of the northeastern addition: a pavilion-like volume of around 10 square metres, designed to provide a more generous bedroom on the ground floor. This new extension brings a sense of volumetric balance to the house, modestly integrating its modern presence into the historic fabric.
The internal organization has undergone a series of changes in response to the brief, particularly on the ground floor and in the attic. A new staircase has been introduced to facilitate access to the attic. The roof structure was reconfigured to accommodate a small cylindrical office and an additional bedroom. Superfluous spaces were eliminated, creating two double-height rooms: one on the north side—the stairwell—and another on the south.
There is a certain theatricality in the way the spaces are staged, most evident in the sequence of circulation. The entrance from the south unfolds through a tube painted red, evoking the depths of the earth. From here, the path continues along the staircase, which pauses unexpectedly at the first level, where its recess accommodates a small bench upholstered in green velvet—a place of rest, of reading, a setting in itself. The journey culminates in a suspended cylinder, whose deep blue interior creates a space for reflection and concentration.
The existing masonry façade retains its plastered finish and will be repainted. Its historic presence is not erased but rather reaffirmed, becoming the backdrop for a series of precise contemporary interventions—most of them articulated in metal—that enter into dialogue with the old structure while quietly asserting their own identity.