swiss house XXXIV is a collection of shifted concrete planes within an alpine landscape

the swiss house XXXIV by davide macullo architects serves as a marker in the mountainous landscape of galbisio, switzerland. while the house demonstrates a respect for its context, its adaptation to the contemporary lifestyle of the occupants is expressed through distinctive formal characteristics. the pristine landscape is populated by houses built of local stone, constructed to last. while the swiss house XXXIV references these surrounding houses through its concrete materiality and fortitude, exaggerated formal gestures express a stylistic evolution that corresponds to the ambitions of those who live within.

all images by alexandre zveiger

davide macullo architects designed the dwelling as a volume enclosed by a set of concrete planes. beginning as a cube, these planes are shifted three dimensionally to open the space to the landscape without sacrificing privacy. while the house ensures visual obstruction from neighbors, views are maintained so that the surrounding alpine landscape becomes a part of the occupant’s daily life. the concrete blades evoke the image of terraced retaining walls, common in the region, that lift off the ground, revealing an entrance porch and bedroom. these heavy concrete elements further serve to reference the those of the nearby medieval castle of bellinzona.

the programmatic organization is expressed as a collection of staggered volumes which allow the house to adhere to the gentle slope of the site. to the south, a double stair leads to the terraces of the kitchen and the living room. this aspect emphasizes the importance of the relationship between this new presence and the traditional stone constructions of the region where the external stairs offered access to the upper floor level. this system also reinforces the perception of a terraced structure in the landscape.

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project info:

project: swiss house XXXIV 
location: galbisio, switzerland
function: private house
project start date: june 2015
construction start date: february 2016
completion date: march 2017
site area: 857 m2
building area: 135 m2
total floor area: 260 m2

storeys: 1 level basement, 3 levels above ground

client: renato bison
architect: davide macullo architects
principal: davide macullo
project architect: lorenza tallarini
design collaborators: michele alberio
construction/site management: edy toscano
landscape architect: davide macullo architects
interior design: davide macullo architects
structural engineer: edy toscano
building engineer, acoustics: ecocontrol
construction company: censi & ferrari
waterproofing: donada
window construction: metalconstruction sagl
heating, plumbing: di santo
electrician: molteni
insulation, plasterer, painter: matozzo
metal construction: curvotecnica
carpenter: falegnameria bosio
floor tiles construction: bordogna
kitchen: 5 stelle
sanitaryware: bordogna