The idyllic village of Zeneggen in Switzerland is located at over 1450 meters in the middle of the Alps in the Canton of Valais. The typical Swiss chalets, some with over a hundred years of history, characterize the village and combine to form a peaceful town with small picturesque squares and panoramic views.
At the center of this microcosm lies the Quilucru chalet. The historic Quilucru chalet, the subject of the recovery intervention, has already been rebuilt several times over the years. During the renovation, the focus of the team at ATELIER BRANDAU CICCARDINI, who managed the project, was on one hand the respectful management of the building's historicity, but also on an effective combination of this with a contemporary architectural language.
The design focus was on ecology and sustainability pursued through the use of natural materials such as clay plaster, casein clay, stucco, and oiled wood cladding. This allowed for combining new and old components into a harmonious whole and giving the Quilucru chalet a fresh yet natural appearance.
Within the house, functional needs and housing comfort could be optimized with some distribution modifications on the various levels of the house. A new internal staircase connects the two floors, two additional bedrooms and a large bathroom are created on the ground floor. The light-filled living area has been completed with a new kitchen and a stove that can heat the entire chalet using an effective heat conduction system.
The Quilucru chalet represents a brilliant example of how tradition can meet modern architecture in a respectful and sustainable way, highlighting the importance of balance between conservation and innovation in the context of Alpine architecture.
