A 17th-Century Building in the Swiss Alps Is Reimagined as a Residence, Rental, and Wine Bar

Designer Jonathan Tuckey reconfigures a stone-and-timber structure for contemporary living.

Jul 14, 2020 - 23:17

A 17th-Century Building in the Swiss Alps Is Reimagined as a Residence, Rental, and Wine Bar

Designer Jonathan Tuckey reconfigures a stone-and-timber structure for contemporary living.

Co-owner Al Breach’s office occupies one of the two second-floor apartments and features an original stone oven that still provides heat.

Jonathan Tuckey doesn’t so much whisper to old buildings as listen to them. Known for his innovative updates to historic homes, the British architectural designer was the obvious choice when his friends Al and Francesca Breach decided to bring new life to Nossenhaus, a centuries-old stone-and-timber structure they’d bought in the Swiss village of Andermatt.

A look at the 17th-century building, Nossenhaus, located in Andermatt, Switzerland, before the renovation. "It had been primitively insulated, with newspaper over the wood and shingles on top of that,

Dating from 1620 and situated in Andermatt’s charming, cobblestoned center, Nossenhaus had functioned for hundreds of years as a multifamily dwelling, with livestock and storage on the street level.

More recently, the space had evolved into a convivial commune occupied by skiers and climbers. "It was inhabited," Tuckey clarifies, "but in a very rudimentary manner. There was wind blowing through and rain coming in." Adds Al with a laugh, "There was one shower—it was a great place for hippie skiers."