Swiss House XXII Prione from Architects David Macullo in Switzerland

Project: Swiss House XXII Prione
Architects: David Macullo Architecture
Location: Prione, Switzerland
Area: 2,217 sq ft
Photography: Alexander Zveiger

Swiss House XXII Prione from Architects David Macullo

The Swiss House XXII Prione, designed by architects David Macullo, is a stunning example of how modern architecture can harmoniously blend with historical and cultural contexts. The project is located in the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland, on the outskirts of a historic village with traditional stone volumes where animals were previously housed on the ground floor and families lived above.

The architects recognized the importance of preserving historical memory and designed a new addition to the house in dialogue with the existing monumental architectural volume. The result is an excellent balance between historical context and modern language. New volumes with uniform finishes reflect the compactness of old stone constructions, while sloped roof planes create a surreal landscape.

Each space is precisely drafted and flows smoothly into the next, creating a dynamic effect of expansion and compression that offers beautiful views of the surroundings.

This small building gains universal significance; creating a connection between the DNA of the place and its future, it represents a modern interpretation of the historical values of this location.

The project site is located in an urban expansion zone at the boundary between rural and historical areas, north of Prione's historic center in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. This is a rich alpine context filled with traditional stone volumes where animals were previously housed on the ground floor and families lived above. These buildings are testimonies to the history of a once-agricultural community. Our original building was one of these traditional volumes. Recognizing the importance of preserving historical memory, the design retained this original modest volume (now a full-sized living room) and respects its scale. The client's need for more living space led to the addition of two new volumes that work in dialogue with existing ones by character and scale, creating a new equilibrium generated from historical context but interpreted through modern language.

The play of sloped roof planes, appearing as a series of three traditional roofs, becomes a surreal landscape. Sloped sections suddenly disappear from view, and visitors have no clear idea of the space until entering inside. The roof's importance is highlighted through simple delight in unexpected perception.

Materials used in construction underscore this connection. The old buildings were entirely built from stone and appear as compact volumes. New buildings reflect this compactness with uniform finishes on both external and internal surfaces.

Openings on the eastern side of the house mirror flower beds placed below. Spaces created by three volumes form a positive-negative effect on the facade; one projects out, another is carved in with sky as its roof.

Each space was precisely designed but easily transitions into the next, creating a dynamic effect of expansion/compression. Openings at different levels offer varied beautiful views of the surrounding area. From one space, you can see agricultural fields, an ancient monastery, distant low mountains and characteristic peaks of the Swiss Alps.

– David Macullo Architecture