atelier risi
House im Böschi
best architects 21
single family homes
Place
Oberägeri, Switzerland
Studio
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.