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CONTEMPORARY SWISS CHALET
DYNAMIC VERNACULAR: A RETREAT, REWORKED
More than a ski chalet – this is a family haven in the mountains. The Red Thread for the project was‘ Dynamic Vernacular’, an expression of the clients’ love for clean lines, contemporary design as well as their response for local heritage and materials.
Our longstanding clients tasked us with the wholesale refurbishment of a newly purchased chalet in Klosters in early 2020. The snag? Due to Covid we wouldn’ t be able to see the chalet or undertake any site visits at all. Everything would be conducted remotely: client workshops, liaison with the site architect, even material workshops. Despite this challenging set of circumstances the outcome was a huge success.
The architecture of the chalet is pure Klosters, founded on the wooden constructions of the Walser who moved from Oberwallis in the 13th century. The vernacular language combines wood, plaster and natural stone. The outlook from every window tells a different seasonal story and became part of the red thread of inviting the outside in.
The original layout from the developer allowed for a third bedroom / TV snug with ensuite. We saw the opportunity to increase the open-plan area in the kitchen and dining room and give more living space to the family. We worked on several options for an openplan kitchen and dining room that allowed the family to cook and entertain while still enjoying the views from the main part of the ground floor.
The kitchen was designed together with Bulthaup, a kitchen maker
that the clients have used in their London and countryside homes. The sleek lines of the wall units blend into the architecture; the glass induction hob into the vals stone of the island. A Brora down-draught ensures an extractor-free ceiling.
The furniture and lighting scheme for the living room reinterprets the traditional chalet ingredients of leather, wool and velvet with a decidedly contemporary language. Pieces from Ceccotti Collezioni, Flexform and Porta Romana sit on a modern cow-hide rug from Limited Edition, under the gentle gaze of a ceiling-mounted pendant from American atelier Allied Maker.
“ The intersection of environment, architecture and identity is near-perfectly captured in this contemporary interpretation of a Klosters chalet. Existing London clients paid us the huge compliment of asking us to design their chalet over the strange period that was Covid. The outcome is one of my favourite projects.” Staffan Tollgård, Founder and Creative Director.
www. tollgard. com