Presentation of wooden houses

Remarkable transformation of an 1800s barn

You'll probably say I'm obsessed with old wood, recovered wood or converted old wooden houses. I don't even think I could argue with you. And if I did, the numerous articles written on these subjects in only a little over a year would contradict me. So I'm not going to try to find an explanation for the fact that I'm going to write again about an old house in the Swiss Alps. Basically it's a 1792 barn that has been converted into a cozy cottage, retaining most of the original structure.

The 25 square meter building was located in the village of Sarreyer, Switzerland and was used as a cattle shelter and hay storage. At the request of a young family, it has been transformed into a vacation home with 2 bedrooms, a dining area and a living area. The project was done by a local architectural firm, which has done such conversions of buildings in the area, Alp'Architecture sarl.

barn

The renovation involved complete disassembly of the structure, piece by piece. Each element was dismantled and numbered so that, after the necessary repairs and refurbishment, the construction could reproduce the original model as closely as possible.

Alp'Archtecture's project was based on a footprint of 25 square meters, building 3 levels and reaching almost 90 square meters. The first level, a stone structure on which the barn was built, was maintained and rebuilt. That became the first level of the building, below the access level to the cottage.

barn

Levels 2 and 3 were built mainly of reclaimed barn wood. Level 2 is the entrance to the cabin because that is where the street is. The bedrooms are on levels 1 and 3. The bathrooms are also located there. On Level 2 the kitchen was built along with the dining area, and on the top level is the second bedroom and living room. On the top floor there is also a balcony where you can admire the beauty of the mountains in peace.

barn

When restoring the structure, special attention was paid to every detail and an attempt was made to use every object or piece of wood that reminded of the past. The result is a cottage with all the necessary utilities, spacious enough for a young family with a child, but without detracting from the look and beauty of the area.

barn

I like such renovations precisely because the main concern of architects and builders, but especially of owners, is not to build chaotically, not to stand out, to keep the area authentic. And above all, not to cut the roots, not to forget the past.

About the author

Mihaela Radu

Mihaela Radu is a chemical engineer but has a great passion for wood. She has been working in the field for more than 20 years, wood finishing being what defined her during this period. She gained experience working in a research institute, in her own company, as well as in a multinational. She wants to continuously share her experience with those who have the same passion - and more.

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  • I grew up during the summer holidays with my aunt and uncle, who bought a house called a chalet in Switzerland, hired a team to dismantle the wooden part, transported it by train and rebuilt it at
    Syria , Arad !
    Only the stones were local!
    It had a smell inside, that can't be described!
    Thank you, dear Mrs. Engineer RADU!

    • I think she was special. I wish you had pictures. Would be interested to see a Swiss chalet on Romanian soil.
      Thank you too for your appreciation and for following us!
      All the best!

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