Rapin Saiz Architectes

Description

This corner building is located in an old artisanal district in the centre of Vevey. The entire residential and industrial architecture of the area, although outdated, is of great historical value and has been preserved over time. The building accommodates one apartment per floor, making a total of four units. It is classified by the Swiss federal department for Cultural Heritage Conservation. The precious wooden construction, listed as winter gardens for the apartments on each floor, deserves special attention. Transformed several times, the building however no longer met the requirements. All the technical installations have now been refurbished. The basement, ground floor and the first two floors have been renovated while the demolition of the attic allowed for the addition of a third floor.
This elevation was designed in timber, in close cooperation with the specialist engineer. The distribution of the rooms in the three existing apartments has been maintained. The original typology and the constructive logic of the historical building have been respected; the same distribution was used as a basis for the new apartment. On the outside, the masonry of the existing façade has undergone substantial renovation, while the façade of the new floor has been covered with wood cladding.