315 — Chesa al Spelm, St. Moritz

The property owner and his family had long been enchanted by the allure of the Engadin mountains. They often wondered what it would be like to reside in this alpine paradise. Eventually, their curiosity turned into action, leading them to acquire a modest, weathered cottage nestled in St. Moritz, on the banks of the Inn River.

The primary objective of the renovation was to create a sense of spaciousness within the confines of this property. Sounds challenging? Indeed, it was, as it involved the transformation of three separate apartments into a single home for a family of seven. Walls were removed, and throughout the house, custom-made furniture was cleverly utilised to maximise space: bunk beds, built-in wardrobes, Studio C's signature angled door frames beneath sloping ceilings, ceiling-mounted clothing racks, and equally simple yet high-quality foldable furniture seamlessly came together to form a unified ensemble.

So, what are the property owner's impressions? With evident delight, he remarks, “It may be small, but it's charming.” (Or, in good Swiss fashion: ‘herzig,’ which roughly translates as ‘cute.’) Furthermore, despite its central location, the dwelling is comfortably secluded from the hustle and bustle, courtesy of the river acting as a natural boundary. The property owner affectionately refers to his Engadin cottage as “my doghouse,” and a glance at Chesa al Spelm from the opposite riverbank immediately clarifies why: to its right, an imposing chalet looms, relegating all other neighbouring structures to mere footnotes. However, Chesa al Spelm seems not to hold a grudge against its dignified neighbour. Instead, its bright spruce wood cladding exudes contented self-assuredness while the inhabitants enjoy the homely cosiness that allows them to overlook the spatial constraints. While there were occasional mishaps involving five teenagers content with twin bedrooms, boisterously roaming through the house, after all, what is a home without a bit of commotion? Simply put: just a house.