Rafael Schmid Architekten

Description

The two rustici, or country houses, are located close to Lago di Vogorno in the beautiful Verzasca Valley. They are just a few minutes’ walk from the village of Corippo, which is under a preservation order. Their advantageous situation offers far-reaching views down into the valley, and the proximity to the Verzasca river means that one can hear the constant roar of the wild waters. The rustici were built in 1850 and served primarily as a stables and hayloft. Only craftspeople from the Verzasca Valley were commissioned to work on the conversion. The construction work was carried out with great expertise in traditional local building methods, craftsmanship and great professional pride, which all had a profound impact on the success of the overall project. The wooden interior is primarily made of triple-ply spruce panels. This low-cost material creates an interesting contrast to the building’s traditional stone exterior. As the interior space is limited, every spare nook has been used to create storage room. The storage space beneath the stairs proved especially useful. A total of six bedrooms have been created on the top floors of the two rustici. The ground floor contains a kitchen-cum-living room with direct access to the terraced outdoor area. Both rustici are entirely self-sufficient. Electricity is generated via a solar panel and stored in two large batteries.