armando ruinelli: redevelopment of a barn, soglio

'redevelopment of a barn' by armando ruinelli, soglio, switzerland
all images courtesy of armando ruinelli


swiss architect armando ruinelli has recently completed 'redevelopment of a barn', the transformation of an unused farm
into a single family residence in soglio, switzerland. along a pedestrian route leading from the historical center,
the dwelling merges the traditional structure with a contemporary aesthetic, maintaining its place within the village's context.
the three storeys are set into the steep slope, placing an entrance at ground level with access to outdoor areas overlooking the alps
from each floor. the first floor contains an open plan kitchen, living area and study which are arranged around a concrete
stair and fireplace unit. within the upper level loggia, inhabitants may see the rough hewn logs are stacked to form the enclosure
and original roof.

smooth concrete inserts within the stone and wood facade frame the openings of the entry floor. large voids within the facade
are screened with vertical oak axes which may be manually operated to block direct daylight or manipulate breezes through the interior.
the wood was locally sourced and processed together to ensure the same color and eventual patina since the intention was
to define the architecture with the material palette. research was conducted with experimental models at 1:1 scale,
demonstrating careful attention to the craftsmanship of details to merge old and new materials.



view of east facade from the pedestrian route



detail of manually moveable oak screen on the west elevation



ground level entrance



living room



kitchen + living room



loggia



smooth interior concrete wall meets the rustic exterior stone wall



bedroom with bathroom beyond



bathroom



second bedroom



site plan



floor plan / level 0
1. bedroom
2. entrance
3. laundry
4. technical room
5. courtyard



floor plan / level 1
1. terrace
2. kitchen
3. dining
4. living
5. office



floor plan / level 2
1. bedroom
2. loggia



section



section



elevation



elevation



detailed section
1. oak worktop
2. unfinished oak flooring, 30mm
3. pine beam 120 x 160mm, mineral wool insulation
4. wood shimming
5. oak planking, 20mm
6. lpe steel profile, 20mm x 100mm
7. oak drawers
8. layer of noise reduction felt
9. levelling planking, 15mm
10. double lpe steel profile, 200 x 100 mm
11. steel frame
12. window of thermal- break steel profiles
13. tamped faifaced concrete
14. serpentines for heating
15. mineral wool insulation
16. structural concrete


project info:


location: soglio, switzerland
architect: armando ruinelli architect fas
collaborators: fernando giovanoli (architetto associato), fabio rabbiosi
client: private
project time: 2007-2009
site area: 290 m2
built-on area: 110 m2
total volume: 1300 m3