Description of property

In summer 2007 the team of architects of K&L Architekten AG started a multifaceted residential construction project, on behalf of private builder-owners, in the heart of the well-known holiday destination Flims in the canton of Graubünden. The special feature of this building commission was to develop a contemporary project from the existing cubic volumes of some old stables in the “intergrown” village context. Considering the aspect of the denser grouping in the historical village centre, the intention was to preserve and incorporate the existing network of paths as far as possible . Thus the planners developed independent, sophisticated apartments with private outdoor spaces especially for this location. With the help of gallery and split-level solutions, it was possible to create thrilling spatial structures despite the limited room heights. The underlying inspiration was, firstly, to further develop the volumes of the old stables in the organically grown structure or “thicket” of the village, and secondly to present an interpretation of modern forms of living in their historical context. The existing location had a fundamental impact on the design, because the village structure and interconnections were of essential importance for the development of the replacement buildings. It was imperative that the character of the village be preserved and further developed in a way that is in keeping with the times.
The façades made of structured MISAPOR concrete in various types of surfaces (horizontal board formwork), and with fine projections and recesses in the plane of the façade, reflect the existing group of historical stables and reinterpret the structure anew with the massive semi-basement and the wooden construction.
Thanks to the consistent implementation of the façade design of the three building units, there was plenty of freedom to realise the client’s individual wishes and ideas in the floor plan and the extension of the apartments. This ultimately resulted in seven unique and special residential units. In addition to the existing spatial volumes of the old stables, a separate quarter design plan made it possible to build an additional small new building, which completes the ensemble in terms of urban development and makes the quarter more compact. With the MISAPOR fair faced concrete, it was also possible to construct the buildings in accordance with the MINERGIE standard. The apartments were ready for occupancy in autumn 2011.