Rethinking the rituals of daily life, giving more space to collective moments and favouring the view towards the valley, maximising natural light: these are the objectives of studio Nenmar’s project for the renovation of a penthouse in Celerina, a small village near St. Moritz, Switzerland.

To this end, a series of small architectural expedients were carried out, which nevertheless changed the face of the residential unit. The first operation is the removal of the existing kitchen from the main facade, which frees up priority space and the main view. By relocating the kitchen, the architects delineate the entrance and create an undivided and open living area, also enhancing its particular section, which ranges from 1.6 to 4 metres in height.

Wrapping the house almost completely – floors, wall coverings, doors and furniture – with oak wood is undoubtedly the design choice that most determines the character of the intervention: wood masks potential inconsistencies, acts as a unifying element, offers a feeling of warmth, creates an acoustically “comfortable” environment and has low thermal conductivity. The material was taken from an old barn that was being dismantled, and restored to its original finish. The two sinks and a bench in the bathroom, obtained from a discarded block, are made of Matraia stone.

The last material that defines the nature of the project is lime plaster. These three simple ingredients determine the project in all its parts, adapting to the client’s needs and the potential of the area.