Tuesday, 17 April 2007 |
The “Chalet” is by far the most famous product of Swiss
architecture. The wooden dwellings with sloping roof and
overhanging eaves, are as much a part of the Swiss landscape as the
Alps 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 plays
on 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 the
tip 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
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The Swiss Chalet 
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