In the serene landscape of Nendaz, Switzerland, The Wandering House by Lionel Ballmer proposes a subtle yet radical intervention into the rural fabric.
Positioned at the western edge of Baar, the project engages in a delicate negotiation between preservation and transformation. Rather than overtaking the historic barn that initially stood at the heart of the proposal, the architect opted for a more nuanced strategy—introducing a new structure that densifies the plot while allowing the barn to retain its dignified presence. This new house, lifted on stilts, hovers over the land, its presence at once ethereal and grounded. Between the old and new, a secluded garden emerges, serving as both a spatial and conceptual threshold.
Ballmer's approach challenges conventional notions of architectural hierarchy. By refusing to impose a definitive relationship between the barn and the house, the project introduces a productive ambiguity—does the barn remain the primary structure, or has it now become the annex of its contemporary counterpart? The new house, constructed with a charred wood façade and a mineral base of recycled concrete, subtly echoes the materiality of Valaisan raccards, those timeworn agricultural structures that have long defined the region’s vernacular. The use of cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels and locally sourced larch windows reinforces the project’s commitment to sustainability, ensuring that the structure, while unmistakably modern, remains deeply rooted in its context.
Inside, the house embraces fluidity, with interchangeable spaces that adapt to the rhythm of its inhabitants. Expansive sliding glass windows open onto the mountainous horizon, dissolving the boundaries between shelter and landscape, between the past and an unfolding present. The outdoor shelter to the north serves a dual purpose—offering protection for a vehicle or transforming into a communal gathering space. With photovoltaic panels and rainwater collection integrated into the design, The Wandering House is not only a meditation on architectural heritage but also a testament to the evolving imperatives of environmental responsibility. In its quiet defiance of permanence, the house appears to wander—suspended in time, at the threshold of tradition and reinvention.
