schoch-tavli architekten

Description

The long buildings of the hamlet of Obersommeri are gathered around a green commons area. To this day, the village maintains its rural identity. The new care home – mainly intended for young adults who, due to some disability, require assistance but can nonetheless live independently – replaces a former barn and functions as an extension to the already existing care home. As part of the ensemble, it echoes Obersommeri’s typical transition between the built and natural environments. However, while retaining these local characteristics, the barn’s typological transformation has been devised as a modern residential building with its own identity. Niches, lounge areas, and a dining and cooking space with a loggia foster pleasant social cohabitation. The typology is expressed in the wood construction and the façade grid. The various openings and glass surfaces address both historic preservation requirements and the architectural aspiration to create a homogeneous overall impression. Inside, the timber construction manifests itself in natural solid wood ceilings together with walls made of glazed wooden panels. Varied glazes and types of wood differentiate walls, ceilings, windows and façades. Their warm colours combined with the natural anhydrite floors create a discreet yet robust living situation.