Into the woods: a timber-clad Swiss home brings the outside in

House in Rombach, a new family home at the foot of Switzerland's Jura Mountains
'House in Rombach', a new family home at the foot of Switzerland's Jura Mountains, was designed around its top floor's views of the surrounding countryside
(Image credit: press)

Switzerland's striking natural landscape offers many picture-perfect views –  but Gautschi Lenzin Schenker Architekten's 'House in Rombach' was designed to make particular use of its bucolic setting. Located in a suburb at the edge of Aarau, the capital of Aargau canton, the area's green vistas took centre stage in the design process. Subsequently, the team focussed on creating a generous top floor, from which the owners and their guests can take in the area's picturesque scenery. 

The house's location – at the foot of the Jura mountains – and local planning regulations were crucial to the massing's development. The result is an elegant, monolithic block clad in rough, oil-treated Red Cedar planks, punctuated by minimalist, square black-framed windows. The timber cladding's vertical orientation leads the gaze up, adding a lightness to the robust volume. In time, this facade will develop a deep grey patina.

Interactive floor plan of a timber clad Swiss home

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Take an interactive tour of House in Rombach

Designed as a family home, the building can also be divided into two separate apartments, as per the client's request for added flexibility. The structure spans four levels: the ground floor boasts a garage, two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and a spacious first floor factors a master bedroom, two offices, a conservatory, bathroom and games room. A basement level features a cellar and service areas. 

However, the structure's top floor is its real showpiece. Spanning the entire level, the space houses a large living and dining room, flanked by two terraces, for increased natural light and ventilation. Raised timber panels, in place of railings, keep prying eyes at bay, while also framing views of the rugged, mountainous horizon and the city's skyline. 

Special attention to construction detail ensures the house looks sharp. Wooden grating in Moabi wood on the outdoor areas and a copper sheet roof complement the timber outer skin. Built-in furniture maximises space in the concrete, timber and white plaster interior. The ground level's garage door is carefully crafted so that it blends into the surrounding walls, becoming invisible. Two sets of stairs and a lift streamline movement in a house that already offers superlative grace and functionality.

House exterior views

Sitting in a suburb at the edge of Aarau, the house is designed by local architecture practice Gautschi Lenzin Schenker Architekten

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House exterior with wooden textured walls

The house's location and local planning regulations largely dictated how its massing developed

(Image credit: press)

House with terrace area

Taking that into account, the practice focussed on creating a generous top floor, from which the owners and their guests can take in the picturesque scenery

(Image credit: press)

Corridor with a transparent window

A series of irregular yet generous openings punctuate the facade, drawing plenty of natural light in

(Image credit: press)

Master bedroom view

The house's first floor hosts a master bedroom, two offices…

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A conservatory, bathroom and games room

… a conservatory, bathroom and games room

(Image credit: press)

The owners asked for flexibility, so the building can be easily divided into two separate apartments

The owners asked for flexibility, so the building can be easily divided into two separate apartments

(Image credit: press)

The ground floor is home to the garage and a further two bedrooms and two bathrooms

The ground floor is home to the garage and a further two bedrooms and two bathrooms

(Image credit: press)

The ground floor is home to the garage and a further two bedrooms and two bathrooms

The airy, open-plan top floor is the property's real showpiece

(Image credit: press)

The space houses a large living and dining room

Spanning the whole level, the space houses a large living and dining room…

(Image credit: press)

A room flanked with two terraces

 … flanked by two terraces, for enhanced natural light and ventilation

(Image credit: press)

The house is clad in Red Cedar planks

The house is clad in Red Cedar planks. Their vertical orientation leads the gaze up, adding lightness to the strong volume

(Image credit: press)

In time, the timber skin will develop a deep grey patina

In time, the timber skin will develop a deep grey patina

(Image credit: press)

Raised timber panels, instead of railings, keep prying eyes at bay

Raised timber panels, instead of railings, keep prying eyes at bay

(Image credit: press)

Open space area with terrace space

… while also framing views of the rugged, mountainous horizon and the city's skyline

(Image credit: press)

Two separate sets of stairs

Two separate sets of stairs and a lift help streamline movement around the house

(Image credit: press)

The terraces' wooden grating is constructed of Moabi wood

The terraces' wooden grating is constructed of Moabi wood, specially selected to work in harmony with the Red Cedar outer cladding

(Image credit: press)

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture & Environment Director at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018), Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020) and House London (2022).