Black Shingle House

Private house in Kottwil, Switzerland
Completed 2019

In collaboration with schaerholzbau AG

Situated in the rural Swiss Mittelland, the project replaces a former farmhouse and forms an ensemble together with the previously built red house and stable.

The new volume echoes the proportions and orientation of the original farmhouse, maintaining its pitched roof and front facade directed downhill. A recessed second floor creates a terrace for the upper apartment while lending the overall form a balanced proportion. A slight shift in the plan further articulates the structure into a main vertical volume and a smaller volume that appears like an add-on in elevation.

The building contains two apartments; a compact two-bedroom unit on the ground floor and a spacious three-bedroom duplex on the first and second floors. Access to the upper unit is provided via an external staircase, integrated into the adjacent stable – a solution which preserved valuable interior space on the ground and first floors.

The three-storey timber structure was fully prefabricated and assembled on site within a week, once the concrete basement was complete. Materials are used in their raw form and sourced locally. Black-stained timber shingles clad the facade, while exposed spruce panels define the interiors, both originating from Swiss forests. Solar panels and a geothermal heat pump further support the building’s commitment to sustainable living.

The project exemplifies a phased approach to rural densification, showing how careful, incremental development can accommodate new housing over time. Today, the site is home to three families who share facilities, the generous garden and the surrounding fields, fostering a sense of community rooted in place.

North-West Elevation

Proposed Ground Floor Plan

Proposed First Floor Plan

Proposed Second Floor Plan

Previous situation with historic farmhouse

View after completion

A day on site

Paula Schilliger Studio

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