La Graa. Winner of the Marita Schnepper Award 2025 for ecological and sustainable architecture. The jury reached a tie. This entry gets 1.250 €.
Acareful transformation of an abandoned chestnut drying shed in Ticino into a summer house. Preservation of the building’s substance through subtle interventions and through consistent reuse of existing materials. Preserving and reinterpreting the spaces.
Construction from 01/09/2022 to 01/10/2024, Budget € 100k
La Graa – Architects: Jasmin Schäfer, Anna Clocchiatti
Jury statements:
Pro
“A beautiful, small project that respects local building traditions and values existing structures within their context. The fact that the project has already been completed and that building materials have been reused is particularly noteworthy.
“The project is compelling due to its consistent approach to reuse and its handling of existing structures.
“A lovely little project that demonstrates how building materials can be upcycled with high design standards. It’s not exactly groundbreaking, and new materials were used nonetheless. Marita would probably have liked it; the approach reminds me of her apartment at Bacherplatz – even though this is a completely different building.
Con:
The conversion into a holiday home is a point of concern (for this prize), as the long-term benefits for the community are not entirely clear. Architecturally, however, the project is very carefully and sensitively designed.