Two Verandas House by Gus Wüstemann, Switzerland

Two Verandas House by Gus Wüstemann, Switzerland
Situated in the Swiss village of Erlenbach just south of Zurich is Two Verandas House, a private family residence designed by Gus Wüstemann.
(Image credit: Bruno Helbling)
By Ellie Stathaki
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The main house is connected to the pool house by a planted courtyard and a wide, shallow staircase

The main house is connected to the pool house by a planted courtyard and a wide, shallow staircase, with unimpeded views to Lake Zurich

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The barefaced concrete façade is kept private with few discernable

The barefaced concrete façade is kept private with few discernable openings to the outdoors

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The house is accessed via an inconspicuous passageway

The house is accessed via an inconspicuous passageway

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The exterior consists of a mix of materials such as stone, concrete, metal and wood

The exterior consists of a mix of materials such as stone, concrete, metal and wood

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Furniture is part of the architecture of the house,

Furniture is part of the architecture of the house, designed to be low-slung, minimal and flexible

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A rare room divider is replaced by an immense glass wall that disappears

A rare room divider is replaced by an immense glass wall that disappears into the formed concrete structure

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Mirrored walls create the illusion of space and light

Mirrored walls create the illusion of space and light

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Furniture was built in wherever possible, such as in this walk-in wardrobe

Furniture was built in wherever possible, such as in this walk-in wardrobe

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One bathroom is crafted in travertine with wood accents

One bathroom is crafted in travertine with wood accents

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Another bathroom opens to view of the hills

Another bathroom opens to view of the hills

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A narrow staircase from bedroom to living area was cannily located in the darkest part of the house

A narrow staircase from bedroom to living area was cannily located in the darkest part of the house, at the street entrance

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A dining area with travertine floors and grainy wood accents opens to the first veranda.

A dining area with travertine floors and grainy wood accents opens to the first veranda. The ceiling arches gradually towards the back of the house, giving it a shark fin shape

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The living and entertaining areas are lined with skylights

The living and entertaining areas are lined with skylights

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The open plan still allows for intimate reading nooks

The open plan still allows for intimate reading nooks. The space in the background is cocooned in built-in wood shelves

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The first veranda looks onto the pool house

The first veranda looks onto the pool house

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The formed concrete structure interferes very little with the environment

The formed concrete structure interferes very little with the environment. On the first floor, the outer walls are kept low and wide

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A glass-walled opening in the upper veranda is echoed on the floor below so that not even guardrails get in the way of the majestic views

A glass-walled opening in the upper veranda is echoed on the floor below so that not even guardrails get in the way of the majestic views

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The interiors are restrained to the point of ascetic

The interiors are restrained to the point of ascetic, to give full attention to the outdoors

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Frosted glass transports natural light to and from more private areas

Frosted glass transports natural light to and from more private areas

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A lower-ground floor hosts a gym, screening room and wine cellar

A lower-ground floor hosts a gym, screening room and wine cellar

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The kitchen is separated from the wine cellar by glass walls

The kitchen is separated from the wine cellar by glass walls

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Adorned with rough-hewn wood blocks, the cellar is the most decorative feature

Adorned with rough-hewn wood blocks, the cellar is the most decorative feature of the otherwise strictly minamlist house

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Light gaps bringing in artificial and natural light are incorporated into the platforms and furnishings

Light gaps bringing in artificial and natural light are incorporated into the platforms and furnishings, which are themselves integrated into the structure of the house

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The second veranda is at the level of the open pool house and decorated with similarly low, simple seating

The second veranda is at the level of the open pool house and decorated with similarly low, simple seating

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The pool house is self-contained, with its own full kitchen

The pool house is self-contained, with its own full kitchen

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The structure of the pool house also serves as built-in seating when the family is entertaining

The structure of the pool house also serves as built-in seating when the family is entertaining

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A lap pool wraps around one corner of the house

A lap pool wraps around one corner of the house

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The house is illuminated in the evening by discrete lights

The house is illuminated in the evening by discrete lights placed along its base

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The concrete takes on different textures with changes in light and weather

The concrete takes on different textures with changes in light and weather

(Image credit: press)
Ellie Stathaki

Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture Editor 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) and Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020).

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