A listed building ensemble from the late 16th century, with its living and economic part, housed a horse changing station for the historical Albula Post Service. It then served for generations as house to farmers, and, for a short time also incorporated the village shop. This big building ensemble was spatially adapted to the new needs of the owners and technically put in the state of the art, prepared for the coming years.
Studio Name: SAGA Salome Gutscher Architects (www.salomegutscher.ch) + Lukas Lenherr Architektur (www.lukaslenherr.ch)
Design Team: Salome Gutscher, Lukas Lenherr
Area: Canton of Graubünden, Switzerland
Year: 2019-2020
Location: 7523 Madulain, Switzerland
Consultants: Fried AG, Rocca + Hotz AG, Gabriele Nani
Photography Credits: Florian Amoser (www.florianamoser.ch)
With the constantly changing uses and needs, the house was subject to countless structural adaptations over the centuries, just as it has now been adapted again. In line with the logic of honest and timeless materials, black steel was chosen as the surface for the kitchen in addition to local arolla pine and clay slabs.
Similar to the clay slabs and arolla pinewood, black steel is indestructible and yet raw and lively. The imperfect surfaces are allowed to age and thus retain the traces of time for the next generations. Like an archaic machine, the black kitchen is reminiscent of smoke kitchens, stovepipes and cast iron pans.
Dismantling, sufficiency, economical construction and natural untreated materials are basic components of the approach. With this in mind, this project also tried to reuse materials and equipment where possible. All materials are ecological, local and interchangeable.
