An Old 1850 Stone Barn Turned Into A Self-Sufficient Holiday Home
A lot of times the most important part of a project is not the end result but the process itself, the idea behind it and the transformations that took place up until the final look. We usually see that a lot with makeover and conversion projects. A really great example in this case is a holiday home situated in Corippo, Switzerland. It has a very distinctive look, with a rugged, stone-clad exterior, an imperfect roofline and a strong rustic vibe. You might think it looks similar to an old barn and you’d be exactly right. This used to be an animal barn originally constructed in 1850.
It’s been transformed into a modern holiday home by studio Rafael Schmid Architekten in 2019. The project was a challenging one, especially given the limited space that the team had to work with. The barn house has a total surface of 68 square meters spread across two levels. As expected, there’s a very strong contrast between the interior and the exterior of the building. The outside was preserved as best as possible, with certain modifications and additions of course. The interior however was completely redesigned in order to become a suitable living space.
This unique holiday retreat is very simple at its core. The stone-clad exterior and overall architecture and design preserve the original charm of the barn while the interior reveals a pure and simple collection of spaces. The living and dining areas are combined into one and a staircase which doubles as a storage unit gives access to the private section of the house where the sleeping area is situated. There’s very little color inside and all the walls are white while the floor, ceiling and all the furniture are made of wood with a natural, light finish. This helps to create a bright and airy interior and to compensate for the small windows. The house is also very interesting through the fact that it’s completely self-sustainable. It has solar panels on the roof which generate all the necessary energy and it gets water from a natural spring found in its close proximity.
