'Single-family houses are a bit like bespoke suits: they are tailored to the client’s needs, and ideally, they should make the best of the situation at hand', say the architects of Snail house, a small family house, high up in the Swiss mountains, in the S-chanf village of Engadine.
Click here to see more of the house, inside and out
Faced with the problems of a small, and rather oddly shaped plot on the village’s southwestern outskirts, Conex, with Ueberwasser architects, did what a good designer ought to do in such a situation; they cleverly adapted, tailoring their ideas to the challenges of the site, working with the client’s needs - a lovely retreat house for a married couple - and the budget available.
Snail house is coiled up on the hillside, looking like a cubist snail’s shell, or a rather more abstract version of a classic dolls house. The polygonal shell envelopes two levels, where the open plan living area wraps around a central staircase, creating enough space for a spacious living room, bedroom and guest rooms with en-suite bathroom, two studies and kitchen.
The clean-lined, wood-clad and white interiors work perfectly with the house’s unusually asymmetrical shape. The strategically placed windows, on the other hand, frame the landscape magnificently, while the designers took advantage of the large corner opening to create a comfortable covered terrace with long views towards the mountains, an ideal relaxation spot.
The various sizes and shapes of the windows also add to the house’s particular character; and ultimately everything works perfectly. 'It fits like a glove' add the architects proudly; 'it is a snail’s house with a view'.
INFORMATION
Photography: Rolf Zimmermann, Zurich
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