Markus Wespi / Jérôme de Meuron

Description

The new building is located in a privileged but sprawled urban area above Locarno, with an overwhelming view on the city, the surrounding mountains and the lake. The project is a discrete reaction to a daily subject: to build into a crowded and chaotic urbanized area. Therefore all attributes of a classical house were totally omitted. Two simple steaning cubes are emerging from the hill – fragmentarily – more associated to the landscape than to the other existing buildings – more alike a wall than a house – and time less. Habitable interiors are generated through cavities. Two similar big openings, with wooden grids serving as moveable gates, are providing access and view. Additional light is taken in through courtyards. The water of the swimming pool, embedded in the valley facing cube, merges perfectly with the lake.