House Porta Pfister

In a small hamlet within the municipality of Trin Mulin, near the Rhine Gorge, the Porta Pfister apartment block has been built, a new development that deliberately blends into the wooded, rocky landscape of the village community. The clients wanted a compact residential building that, on the one hand, respects the landscape typical of the area and, on the other, displays a distinctly contemporary architectural language.

The building achieves this through its form and materials: a rear-ventilated timber façade made of weather-resistant larch rests on a solid concrete plinth, visually anchoring the house in its rocky surroundings. A few carefully selected materials, together with delicate yet striking window frames, lend the building a minimalist, understated appearance that follows the principles of modern architectural thought without breaking away from the village’s fabric.

A distinctive feature is the roofscape: the copper roof is pierced by an unusual dormer made of exposed concrete, which provides the top-floor apartment with its own balcony and thus a significant enhancement to living comfort. A total of three residential units were created, which are directly connected via the shared stairwell to the four parking spaces in the basement.

The minimalist exterior design is consistently reflected in the interior: a hard, exposed concrete ceiling contrasts with a soft, elegant wooden floor, whilst white-plastered walls act as a neutral buffer zone between the two material worlds. Large panoramic windows allow the landscape of the Graubünden Alps to flow deep into the living spaces, making the view the true focal point of every flat.