Doppelhaus Räth, Semi-detached house in Haldenstein, Switzerland.
Doppelhaus Räth is a stone building with a U-shaped footprint that holds two separate homes arranged around an open courtyard on the northern side of the village. The two units sit at different levels on the slope, which means each one has its own relationship to the surrounding land.
Built in 1983, this house represents an early design by an architect who would later gain international recognition. At the time, it showed fresh thinking about how buildings could work with the natural slope of the land.
The building demonstrates how a house can sit thoughtfully on a hillside and open itself to the landscape around it. The way rooms connect to outdoor spaces shows a deliberate approach to daily living that becomes clear when you move through it.
Walking onto the property reveals how the two homes sit at different elevations on the slope. The best way to understand the design is to move through the courtyard and explore the various entry points and views from different angles.
The engineers who collaborated on this project were equally skilled at working in mountain settings, foreshadowing a partnership that would become known in later decades. A photographer documented the building extensively, which helped bring attention to it within architecture circles.
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