Casa Tschiel

Below the Flimstein, overlooking the south-western Grisons mountains, stood a holiday home that had seen better days. In 2014/2015, it was replaced by a new build constructed under the ‘Hofstattrecht’, the Grisons building law that safeguards the existing use of a historically built-on site when a new building replaces an old one.

The new detached house comprises three bedrooms and an open-plan living room with kitchen, complemented by a hobby room with a utility area.

Structurally, the building combines two different construction methods: the lower storeys are of solid construction, whilst the top floor is a timber structure. The house is heated by an air-source heat pump, which also provides hot water, thereby utilising resource-efficient building services.

The most striking feature is the timber façade: the boards are set at varying heights and depths, creating an overall effect reminiscent of a relief. A special glossy wood finish further enhances this effect by allowing the façade’s sense of depth to shift depending on the angle of the light. On the top floor, large window fronts with built-in seating offer views of the mountains whilst also flooding the living space with plenty of natural light. A spacious terrace with a barbecue area extends the living space outwards, making the house enjoyable even on warm summer days.

What is remarkable about this replacement build is how the relief-like façade design transforms what is essentially a simple choice of material, larch timber boards or a comparable alternative, into a distinctive architectural expression, whilst remaining in keeping with the understated architectural style of the surrounding area.