ArchShowcase Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Transformation and Creation of two Apartments in Corsier,Geneva by bunq ArchitectesNovember 20th, 2011 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: bunq Architectes The project is a process that starts from a scenario initiated by the various constraints of the site and the program, and which evolves positively thanks to the landscape observation, the place use,… It appears essential for us to think the place and the building like an inseparable combination.
The project concerns an old rural building located in the village of Corsier a few kilometers from Geneva, composed of a barn and a house which are to be transformed into two new flats. The key concept is to preserve the nature of the buildings while introducing clear noticeable elements of the project into the existing walls. The old housing is simply renovated: the living room, the kitchen and the dining room are located at the ground floor in connection with the garden. The bedrooms are located in the upper floors. A new vertical circulation supports the three levels of the building and the newly created space is treated as a piece of furniture containing the staircases, the cupboards and a bathroom. A second apartment is created in the barn. It is developed as an object, situating itself in a large volume. It can be perceived from the outside through the large, original openings of the barn, and is further revealed as one explores it’s perimeter. A staircase leads to the entrance of the apartment. The bedrooms are located in the volume which appears to be carved at the place of the library. Traversing this space, one arrives at the top of this object where the living and dining rooms are united under the roof of the barn. The kitchen and the fireplace are treated as volumes growing out of the original object. The original materials of the farm are preserved, composed of thick, irregular walls, and a large room whose interior is treated with boards of fir tree. The texture of this ‘container’ contrasts with that of the object, which is composed of a smooth and precise wooden surface. The project concerns an old rural building located in the village of Corsier, few kilometers from Geneva, on the south coast of Leman lake. The old rural house, composed of a barn and a housing, was transformed into two new flats.
The key concept here is to preserve the nature of the buildings while intervening in the existing walls with clear noticeable elements of the project. The old housing is simply refitted: the living room, the kitchen and the dining room are located at the ground floor in connection with the garden. The rooms are located in the upper floors. A new vertical circulation supports the three levels building and the new created space is treated like a piece of furniture containing the staircases, the cupboards and a bathroom.
A second apartment is created in the barn. It is designed / developed like an object, taking place in this great volume. It can be perceived from the outside through the large and original openings and can be discovered through a journey. By walking down, a stair distribute the main entrance. The rooms are located in the volume which seems dug at the place of the library. While passing by this space, one leads to the top of the object where are, together under the roof of the barn, the living room and the dining room. The kitchen and the fireplace are treated like outgrowths of the object.
The materiality of the farm is maintained. It is composed of thick and irregular walls covered with a rough coat and a large roof whose interior face is cover with boards of fir tree. The materiality of this “container” contrasts and is opposite to the object which has a smooth and precise wood surface made of wooden panels. bunq
The bunq Company was found in 2006 by Laurent Gaille (architect IAUG), Philippe Gloor (architect HES), Cyril Lecoultre (architect HES-Master) and Julien Grisel (architect EPFL). Contact bunq Architectes
Categories: Apartments, House |