Birdhouse & Burrow
The assignment was to redesign an alpine building from the 1980’s for a family of four with extremely diverse but very tangible wishes. A new kids room in the basement, a working space on the balcony that is shielded from the wind and an uninterrupted terrace surrounding the house, are the three most visible ones. And of course, a covered place for the car.
The result is a collage of elements. The “Landhausstil” (country house style) is taken with irony and references to the surrounding nature. The balcony got its birdhouse, the basement its badgers sett and the handrail of the terrace is a larch tree trunk handpicked by the client.
This project should proof that architecture can be fun, and that architecture can be light. New architecture starts with losing up and with throwing conventions over board. When it almost doesn’t look like architecture anymore, when we are not sure about what it is, then, I think, then it becomes interesting again.