Bachmatte Gstaad

The Bachmatte in Gstaad-Grund lies amid a landscape-defining scattered settlement, whose loose arrangement is determined by agriculturally used buildings. Traditionally, the larger farmsteads are located at strategically chosen sites — so too this homestead. Its name derives from the brook that once flowed across the entire meadow, whose former course is still perceptible today. During excavation, numerous rounded stones emerge, shaped by the water and left behind in the soil as silent witnesses of history.

The existing structure is a log construction in solid timber, more than 150 years old, consisting of a residential part, an economic part with stable, and the barn above. Between these two main bodies lies the shed, previously used as storage for tools and wood. The house was originally built in Gstaad and relocated to its present site more than a hundred years ago. At that time, the value of the building material justified the elaborate move; today one would speak of the reuse of embodied energy.

In the conversion, the stable remains in operation. The residential part is transformed on the ground floor into a small apartment, while the upper floor and the former barn become the new main dwelling. The shed takes over the vertical circulation with a new solid timber staircase that connects spaces and levels. From the entrance and intermediate landing, access is provided to separate “joker rooms,” which can be flexibly added or used independently. In the barn, a gallery is inserted, but only over a third of the area, so that the double-height space is preserved and its spatial generosity maintained.

The two main volumes are restored to their original substance, with all later additions removed. The log structure is preserved and supplemented with new solid timber elements. Damaged threshold beams on the ground floor are carefully dismantled and replaced, while the traditional construction with ventilation cavities is retained. Surfaces of old timber are cleaned or brushed to maintain patina and character while achieving an improved surface. The old roof with its small shingles also remains visible: airtightness, insulation, and water guidance are added from the outside, ensuring that the historic sophistication inside remains unchanged.

The building services are deliberately reduced and compactly integrated. Special attention is paid to the floor assemblies, whose old coverings — where intact — are reused. Water supply continues to come from the farm’s own spring, with the pipeline being renewed; the slightly sulfurous source also feeds the fountain in front of the house.

The project understands itself as “continuing to build” in the best sense. Structure, elements, and patina of the existing building are carried into a new cycle. At the beginning of the project, it was unclear how the substance would present itself, but through careful investigation, dismantling, and securing, a large part could be preserved. Solid timber once again proved its sustainability and flexibility.

The Bachmatte shows how tradition and innovation in solid timber construction can interlock. With respect to the existing fabric, intelligent additions, and minimally invasive interventions, a building emerged that preserves the dignity of its historic substance while offering contemporary living space. It stands for consistency, reuse, and the excellent quality of continuing to build within the existing fabric — carried by the aura of the material and the history of the place.

Client: Private

Planning: Rossetti+Wyss Architekten, Classen Haustechnik GmbH, Zürcher Elektroplanungen AG, Bünder Hydroplan AG

Photos: © Jürg Zimmermann