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Parlor with white wood paneling, a long wooden table, a daybed, armchairs and round side tables.

Walser House Vrin

dismantling and conversion of a compact half of a farmhouse from the year 1800, directly next to the barn that shapes the village scene in the district of cons. the focus was on a moderate renovation with deliberately simple means, the installation of a staircase of regular walkable height and raising the ceiling heights to almost two meters. new wall paneling in raw silver fir and original surfaces now define the rooms. the continued use of wood as a building material and a low-contrast blend of old and new preserve the atmosphere and dignity of the old house. the renovated rooms of the historic log building now showcase the diversity of our furniture collection and are conceived as a vacation and exhibition property. architecture and realization: hubert sanktjohanser. kitchen

The half of the farmhouse was marked by low ceiling heights and fittings from the 1970s. After their removal, the house was renovated with deliberately simple means. The qualities of the imperfect in the existing building had to be carefully weighed against the supposed advantages of new fittings. The ceiling heights were raised to almost two meters and a staircase of regular walkable height was installed. Two small bedrooms remained almost untouched. Two larger rooms received additional windows without affecting the gable facade.

A low-contrast blend of old and new in the conversion and the furnishing, together with the continued use of wood as a building material, preserves the atmosphere and dignity of the old house. The interplay between what was added and what already existed was of particular importance. Together with the new fir ceiling and wall paneling, the historic doors now shape the feel of the rooms and, with their low door height, recall the history of the house.

Location:
Vrin (GR), Switzerland
Year:
2022/25
Architecture:
Hubert Sanktjohanser

19 images

Village road between old timber houses in Vrin under a blue sky.
Small timber attic room with shelving, a desk and a sleeping platform.
raising the bathroom below gave the small attic room a sleeping platform; apart from a reworked window, it has remained in its original state.
Large attic room with a blue bed, a black lowboard and a large blue painting.
in the large attic room, the two different windows refer to the original division of the space. together with the roof window, they create a bright and generous room.
Bathroom with a bathtub, wood paneling and a runner, seen through the open door.
the bathroom gained an adequate ceiling height, new wall paneling and a linoleum floor. as elsewhere, existing material was reused for the ceiling. sanitary fittings and layout remained unchanged.
Large room with old wood paneling, a bed, a low shelf and maps on the wall.
in the large room, flexible furnishing allows it to be used as a bedroom or a second living room.
Lane between the log house and the barn with steps in the background.
typical local gable wall. between the buildings, new steps that make room for a seat. it redefines the small ensemble within the village.
Stone steps in the narrow lane between the barn and the log house.
new stone steps between the barn and the log house.
Log house and barn in Vrin, black and white photograph.
Lit window in the log wall of the barn next to the log house.
View through a doorway into the large room.
view into the large room with the new window in the eaves wall.
Room with wooden walls, a blue bench seat and a small desk beside the door.
view from the large room into the stairwell.
Small room with old paneling, a bed, a chair and a wall of shelves.
in the small room, the old paneling has been preserved.
Narrow timber entrance hall with the new staircase.
in the entrance hall, the stoking opening of the stove is visible again. the new staircase houses a cloakroom and a small wc.
Kitchen with wooden fronts, a black worktop and an island in front of a rendered wall.
despite its modest size, the kitchen is designed for cooking together.
View from the kitchen past the island into the entrance hall.
view from the kitchen into the entrance hall
Parlor with white paneling, a stove, dining table and bench seat, with a view through the open door.
view from the parlor to the stairs and on to the kitchen. the small window marks the former doorway.
Barn and log houses on the slope with a meadow in fog.
new terrace with seating.
Village road in Vrin in the rain between old timber houses.
Timber gallery in the attic with a staircase.
the gallery in the attic creates a generous volume in the hallway.

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