Casa Gronda

Trin is first mentioned in historical records in the mid-12th century under the name ‘Turunnio’; the traditional designation ‘Künges Gut ze Trünsse’ refers to an even older royal estate. For centuries, the Hohentrin domain, centred on the rocky outcrop of Crap Sogn Barcazi, a former fortified church that was converted into a feudal castle during the High Middle Ages, formed the political centre of the region. It was not until 11 January 1616 that the municipality bought its freedom from this feudal lordship for 11,200 guilders. In this historic setting, in the Trin Mulin district on the Via Nova, a resident of Trin had a stately residential and commercial building erected in 1888 on the site of his parents’ house. For much of the 20th century, the building served, amongst other things, as the residence of two farming families, including the heirs of the Barcazi family, whose name dates back to the old feudal lordship.

Over time, the house was adapted on several occasions to meet changing needs: a comprehensive renovation took place in 1998, and in 2002 the attic was converted into office space for the architectural team at Gross + Rüegg. During these alterations, the house’s original character was deliberately preserved: the façade, window layout, and proportions of the historic building were retained.

Structurally, Casa Gronda is a typical Graubünden building from the turn of the century, featuring solid internal and external walls. The enclosed volume totals around 1,494 m³ across three residential storeys and a converted attic, supplemented by a separate outbuilding of 828 m³ on the adjacent plot. The lower floors are classically divided into living, dining, and sleeping areas with a balcony facing the mountains; the top floor is now usable as a continuous office space of around 80 m². The house is heated by a ground-source heat pump.

Comprising the main house, the outbuilding, two parking spaces and the surrounding grounds, the property on Via Nova offers both commercial potential and living space on the sun-drenched terrace above the Ruinaulta, a plot that continues Trins’ long history of settlement within a compact area.