An Archaic Monolith: Summer House by Buchner Bründler Architekten

The village of Linescio lies in the remote Rovana Valley in Tessin. Although it is only 30 km from Locarno, people here seem to inhabit their own world. A few stone houses stand empty, yet the village is intact. The quietude and rusticity that reign here inspired Buchner Bründler Architekten to transform a 200-year-old stone house into a holiday home. From the outside, the architectural interventions are barely perceptible: only a glass door leading to the garden and a new concrete chimney provide discreet clues. However, the interior is now home to a concrete shell, added as a house within a house, an exciting dialogue between present and past. Implanted gently and meticulously  within the existing walls, this monolithic installation creates an assertive, composed response to the granite outer shell. The sculptural qualities of the exposed concrete reinforce the archaic character and feeling of calm which emanates from this stone dwelling. An evocative film captures the magic of this place in contemplative images.
Architects: Buchner Bründler Architekten, Basel
Location: Linescio di Fuori, Switzerland

Structural engineer: Jürg Merz Ingenieurbüro
Builder: Kundenmaurer David Geyer Find an extended documentation in DETAIL 6/2014 Concrete Construction.