The new home obliged to honor the area’s historical context

Be Architektur introduces its residential Barn project in a Hamlet Zone of around 15 buildings in a rural, mainly agricultural setting in Switzerland. Typical barn characteristics were taken up and reinterpreted in a modern way. From a distance, the residence discreetly blends into its rustic surroundings.

Photo credit: Vito Stallone

The exterior facade is clad in glazed spruce wood – the same type of timber used on traditional Swiss barns. A pitched roof was designed in the same vein, with tile roofing typical to the local architecture. Openable windows are concealed behind wooden shutters, while the generous fixed glazing is fronted by wooden sliding doors that provide sun protection, darkening, and privacy. A raw steel beam serves as a gutter, jutting out beyond the base of the roof. Downpipes were omitted; the rainwater drains off the side like a waterfall.

Photo credit: Vito Stallone

Photo credit: Vito Stallone

Photo credit: Vito Stallone

A barn is typically used for storage and as a workroom for agricultural production. Although this new building is not a depository, its rooms – bedrooms, bathrooms, closets, etc. – are “stored” within it as closed volumes figuratively stacked on top of one another. This “stacking” creates a sculptural interior, which is a positive spatial volume within the building. A negative volume forms around these stacks, comprising a landscape of open living spaces that are interconnected vertically and horizontally. A generous interior unfolds with a sense of endless expanse.

Photo credit: Vito Stallone

Photo credit: Vito Stallone

Photo credit: Vito Stallone

The new building reinterprets the simple, unadorned nature of a traditional barn through its choice of materials. Exposed concrete slabs for the floor and a special plaster covering the walls ensure a raw, unfinished feel. Two different materials with a similar effect – concrete and plaster – are used throughout the interior to achieve an expressive effect.

Photo credit: Vito Stallone

Photo credit: Vito Stallone

Photo credit: Vito Stallone

The freestanding two-car garage in exposed concrete was created using the same timber formwork as that used for the house facade. A photovoltaic system was installed on the gently sloping concrete gable roof, with solar panels covering the surface like a carpet. The new home enters into a thematic dialogue with the surrounding agricultural buildings for a unique interpretation of the vernacular barn typology.

About Be Architektur

Be Architektur is a practice-oriented generalist for sophisticated architecture. The complete package of architectural services is covered – from design, planning, and construction management, to final accounting. A one-stop service with a single contact for architecture and construction management. At the heart of every project is the client and their needs. Client involvement is nurtured throughout the development of the project in an ongoing dialogue. This collaboration leads to an outstanding and captivating architecture, meticulously planned to the last detail. Buildings designed by Boris Egli have been recognized with several architecture awards, both nationally and internationally. This achievement was not intentional, but is above all the result of exceptional dedication and limitless passion to craft extraordinary architecture.