A number of reinforced concrete walls arranged in different directions merely come together to create different viewpoints and allow different spatial organisations in the Davide Macullo-designed Swiss House XXXIV in Ticino, is the southernmost canton of Switzerland.

The architect freely plays with concrete walls to arrange this private residence not only to provide flexible and adaptable layout, but also allow different vantage points overlooking the nearby details, like the tree or the vines of the neighbours' gardens.

Located within a historic setting of Bellinzona - famous with its three castles in the canton Ticino, the two-storey building presents itself as "the enjoyment of the spaces for many years to come," according to the studio.

"From afar the building is a marker in the landscape, it expresses a meaning already suggested by its context. From close up, it is a collection of many things and from within, a world, that changes with the passing of the hours of the day and the days of the year," said Davide Macullo Architects.

Named Swiss House XXXIV, the building, encompassing a total of 260-square-metre area, is derived from a cube shape introduced as a primary element of the concept. 

The design acts as a constellation of many points, and each one’s luminosity defining the studio's priorities, corresponding to the ambitions of those who live within it and is an interpretation of the spaces that embrace the joys of life.

The entire layout of the house is generally comprised of many open spaces including kitchen, a large terrace, living room, voids, guest bathroom, gym, laundry, which are all placed in the ground and first floor with angular spaces and viewpoints. Storage, technical room, two bedrooms, bathroom, steam room and a small studio are designed in the basement floor. 

"We have built a place for the present that projects back into memory and forward into the future: the memory of pristine landscapes where the buildings of local stone had to resist until eternity, protecting the inhabitants; when gestures were used sparingly in order to concentrate strength. Now, they respond to a different perception, perhaps more evolved, to adapt to the speed of life," added the architects.

"The ultimate goal of a space remains as giving comfort to its inhabitant. This for us represents the drive towards the future; working to improve the quality of life and creating a place of positive energy, where man is the protagonist in finding his way to become a better person."

Sitting on a steep hill as a new organism, the building's concrete blades are fragments, broken off from the medieval castle walls of Bellinzona. "It is our ideal home, an enclosure that opens up to the context and breathes it in, making us part of these wonderful surroundings," added the architects.

The space dilates across diverse horizons, in different directions, all intended by the design, and by the nearby details, like the tree or the vines of the neighbours’ gardens.

"Architecture takes its roots from the place in which it is born and defines the time that runs in our senses. It changes and grows with us. It outlast us and we gift it to the future. Every house built with love will never stop surprising us, helping us and growing with us and those who will follow us," explained the studio.

All images © Alexandre Zveiger

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