Atelier Oi architects and Willi Glaeser, owner of Swiss furniture company Wogg, are no strangers. Their collaboration during the past years has not only produced several pieces for the Wogg collection, from table systems to an amazing fibreglass-hoop and fabric light garden pavilion, but has also cemented a strong friendship with a common language and shared vision. So when Glaeser commissioned Atelier Oi to design his Lake Neuchâtel house, we didn’t expect anything less than the confident, playful final result.

Glaeser House

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The house overlooking the stunning Swiss lake, a site Glaeser fell in love with during his visit to the last Swiss Expo.02, is not far from St-Aubin Sauges. An old traditional-style house already built on the site simply added to the architects’ inspiration and the design’s diversity; the brief described a modern conversion, which would include space for the couple and its guests, but most importantly, banned the use of the colour white.

Taking full advantage of the building’s amazing vistas, the house was conceived as a basic orthogonal block, designed around two main terraces – one open and one closed – dividing the garage volume from the main residential one, all orientated towards the lake. The terraces, carefully protected from the strong winds, underline the desired interior/exterior relationship, leading into the house’s double-height main living space on either side of the patio. The interior is split in levels, all naturally lit through the patio’s glass walls, and incorporates garage, workshop, entrance hall and circulation space, living room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.

Of course Glaeser’s demand for many and bright colours was not overlooked. The colours chosen were based on a study on the nature’s local colourations, taking into consideration the lighting changes during the day. Deep aubergines, dark ochres and reds and brilliant yellowy oranges, are brightened even more by the light reflected on the nearby lake, and work in harmony with the natural landscape.