House Cavigelli

In Domat/Ems, a house was built, positioned as a precisely defined structure within a former orchard. The clients wanted a living space that treated the garden not as a residual area, but as an equally important space for spending time. The new building is therefore flanked by an L-shaped garden area, which blends seamlessly with the interior of the house at ground level and creates a direct connection between indoors and outdoors.

Between the man-high garden wall marking the boundary of the plot and the interior living space lies a garden courtyard that is used as a living space. It is characterised by a spacious covered seating area, which derives its character from an adjoining water feature; this is bordered by a natural stone wall. The garden thus becomes a self-contained, weather-protected outdoor living space.

Structurally, the building is divided into two cubes: a horizontal one for the garage and a vertical one for the internal circulation. Between them, a continuous, two-storey window front divides the spaces into heated living areas and unheated garden rooms – a transparent membrane that offers a distant view beyond the courtyard garden from the rooms on the upper floor.

The use of materials also follows a clear logic: the interior and exterior differ consistently in colour and surface finish. The gutted interior forms smooth, enclosed spaces with a traditional perforated façade. The rough, lavender-coloured exterior, by contrast, defines the entrance, kitchen, dining and living areas, as well as the sleeping area on the upper floor, as open-plan spaces separated from the garden solely by the window front. This juxtaposition of rough and smooth, open and enclosed, makes the house a study in controlled contrasts.

The layout comprises a 5½-room flat spread over two storeys, complemented by storage rooms in the basement and a double garage.