personeni raffaele schärer architects: shelter in the swiss alps

'shelter in the swiss alps' by personeni raffaele schärer architectes,  val d’herens, valais, switzerland
image © tonatiuh ambrosetti


located in the swiss alps, in the herens district, at an altitude of 1850 meters is 'shelter in the swiss alps',
by lausanne-based practice personeni raffaele schärer architectes. the vacation home, which was previously
used as a shelter for livestock, was recently restored and retrofitted to accommodate the needs of the young
family now occupying it. 



the fireplace provides heating for the cabin
image © tonatiuh ambrosetti


very popular in switzerland, the transformation reveals several simultaneous realities of preservation and
modernization. derived from the desire to retain the individual characteristics of the building, the design features
an outward appearance virtually devoid of any contemporary life. the new roof and foundation are reminiscent
of traditional swiss aesthetics, camouflaging the updated components with the original ones.  



living room and dining room
image © personeni raffaele schärer architectes


on the inside, the unsurpassed view is the only piece of decoration. an expansive window flanks the
mountain-facing facade, directly linking the cabin to the alps. the rest of the home is left bare and neutral,
the white walls and sanded concrete floor secondary to the framed scene.



cantilevered stairs
image © tonatiuh ambrosetti


solar panels provide a sufficient amount of electricity to the unit, which is heated through a fireplace in the living room.
wooden shutters - cut from the existing logs - replace traditional window coverings, and enclose the unit during the
occupant's absence.



wood shutters close over windows on the second floor
image © tonatiuh ambrosetti



storage on second floor
image © tonatiuh ambrosetti



the original wood beams sit on top of a new stone-clad foundation
image © tonatiuh ambrosetti



in context
image © personeni raffaele schärer architectes



original structure
image © personeni raffaele schärer architectes



the beams were salvaged and reapplied in the exact same way on top of the new foundation
image © personeni raffaele schärer architectes



new foundation
image © personeni raffaele schärer architectes



construction on the inside of the house
image © personeni raffaele schärer architectes



rebuilding the roof
image © personeni raffaele schärer architectes



site plan
image courtesy personeni raffaele schärer architectes



floor plan / level 0
image courtesy personeni raffaele schärer architectes



floor plan / level 1
image courtesy personeni raffaele schärer architectes



section
image courtesy personeni raffaele schärer architectes


section
image courtesy personeni raffaele schärer architectes