Exploring the Future of Sustainable Architecture with Giona Bierens de Haan's Grazzioli Designs

When I was contacted to work on the house the owners were moving into after forty years in my childhood village, I saw this as a chance to continue a life path with them and help them in this transition. The house was located at the top of the road where I used to play as a kid. It was a small, charming house with green shutters that was deeply connected to the memories of these two people. The way they lived in this house overlooking the street, the way they greeted passers-by, the dog that was always watching the threshold of their door, the way they decorated it, the smell of cigarettes that one could smell when entering it, all these memories told me that, if I was to be in charge of their new home, it had to be special and leave a lasting impression on their friends and acquaintances.

Boudry is a village transitioning into a small town, with its historic centre boasting beautiful old buildings. However, the growth of the town has led to the construction of new buildings, which has increased the density of the town but diminished the charm of the old stones along the main axes. One such building is a stable, farmhouse organized around three buildings in a U-shape. It has been used for various activities, such as a garage, warehouse, distillery, or “carnotzet”. Surprisingly close to a river, the building has been able to avoid regulations concerning construction near rivers. The transformation project involves a portion of the main building, with the goal of creating an accommodation on a single floor to facilitate access. The building is poorly insulated, and the heating system needs to be replaced. The small windows that open onto a large garden let in too little light, so the decision has been made to demolish one of the large load-bearing walls in order to double the available floor space. To support the mass of the upper wall, a beam and a metal post will be installed.

The thermal envelope has been completely reworked and new openings have been added to orient the house towards the garden. Inside, the spatial logic and subdivisions have been realized with walls made of bleached birch panels. A sculptural and minimalist pivot wall serves as the main feature of this project, allowing for the variation of spatiality, luminosity, and intimacy of the spaces. Through a collaborative process with the clients, the colour palette and material choices have been established. In contrast to the wooden walls, the peripheral walls are covered with a rough plaster, marking the difference between the primary and secondary envelopes of the house. Coloured elements have been carefully designed and positioned as spatial sculptures, allowing for the manipulation of brightness, transparency, and texture.