House JCM
The original building was a barn, with hay stored on the upper floor and the ground floor used as temporary accommodation by the farmer at the time. The rather steep pitch of the original roof allowed snow to slide off and not remain on the roof for too long. The very deep eaves protected the façade from the elements. The original triangular openings provided ventilation for the barn to preserve the hay; during the renovation they were retained and fitted with glazing.
The principal requirements were set by the cantonal building authorities, namely that, in qualitative terms, the works had to strictly respect the identity of the existing building and its surroundings, as the property is located within an agricultural zone.
All elements of the former barn were preserved, including the roof, which was dismantled, insulated and waterproofed, then reassembled using the tiles laid in 1913. The original openings, such as the doors and windows, retained their original proportions and were fitted with glass. On the upper floor, a large opening was created along the façade to bring in natural light, and the whole was clad with horizontal boarding to maintain architectural coherence.
The main idea behind the renovation was to retain as much of the raw volume as possible, allowing occupants to experience living within a nineteenth-century barn. To achieve this, a large “box” of glass and timber was inserted within the volume to accommodate the living spaces.
Among the various ecological considerations was the reuse of all the timber from inside the barn to craft the kitchen and the doors on the lower floor. Insulating lime render was used on both the external and internal façades. The upper floor was insulated between the ceiling and wall boards using blown mineral wool insulation. Heating and hot water are provided by an air-to-water heat pump and a radiant steel fireplace.
