atelier risi: House im Böschi - best architects 21

atelier risi

House im Böschi

best architects 21

single family homes

Place

Oberägeri, Switzerland

Photos

Philippe Hubler

Description

The rural site of Böschi is characterised by the structure of its settlement, by farming and the surrounding forests. Since the 1950s, a modest wooden cabin has stood on the building plot. The new building aims to blend in as a natural part of the settlement and leave as much space as possible between it and the neighbouring house to the north, which can be viewed as the end point of the hamlet. The tall birches are key to the community's identity and create an attractive composition in conjunction with the house. Built perpendicular to the topography on the side facing the hill, the house subsequently undergoes an urban-development motivated twist towards the settlement. This movement and the birches together allow for the creation of a precisely framed entrance area, anchoring the house to this location. The wooden building sits on a raw concrete base, which conforms to the topography and creates a contrast to the treated tree bark façade. The thermo-impregnated bark panels come directly from the sawmills and are merely stained with a natural oil before being attached to the façade. The interior comes alive thanks to the craft of a carpenter. With the exception of the copper roof, the house was exclusively built with ecological materials and timber from the Aegeri Valley.