A contemporary Swiss chalet combines tradition and modernity, all with a breathtaking view

This contemporary chalet by Montalba Architects is a new design from the practice's Swiss studio – the firm splits its workload between the US and Switzerland, with offices in Santa Monica and Lausanne. The project offers a mix of ultra-modern manufacturing methods and traditional craft, all wrapped up in an elegant skin that manages to be both contemporary and traditional at the same time.

Step inside this modern Swiss chalet

Unsurprisingly, the new chalet is set on a sloping site, with a view across the valley to the Grand Muveran massif, home to some of the highest peaks in the Vaud Alps. Orientated to make the most of the views, the chalet is arranged across three floors, with the ground floor notched into the hillside. A separate pitched roof carport, completed from the same materials, is set slightly higher up the hill.

The chalet consists of a pitched roof and siding made from black-stained larch slats. The façade frame is made from spruce and there’s also wood fibre board on the exterior and OSB panels inside. All has been designed to weather and patinate whilst retaining its weather protection. The timber construction was largely assembled using a series of wood panels atop a traditional masonry basement, a combination that contributed to the swift ten-month construction process.

All this sits beneath a steep pitched seamed metal roof that oversails the house as per traditional Swiss construction methods, providing shading as well as snow-proofing. Where the Gryon Chalet differs from its peers is in the treatment of the fenestration, with huge floor-to-ceiling windows on the south-facing elevation that open up the interior to the wooded foothills and snowy peaks beyond.

Describing the project as a ‘traditional Swiss chalet ... reinterpreted with a modern, abstract approach through movement and flow,’ Montalba and his team have contrasted the dark exterior with a richly crafted interior that mixes classic items of furniture with bespoke joinery and those impressive views.

Entering from the middle floor, which is level with the road access, visitors come through a hallway to arrive in a living room with a spectacular panoramic view. To the east of the sitting and dining areas is a terrace, with the kitchen anchoring the living space. On the floor above are the sleeping quarters, which include a primary suite tucked into the eaves, complete with its own balcony, along with two additional bedrooms and a bathroom.

On the lowest floor, opening directly onto the hillside, is a studio space. This has its own access and can serve as a separate dwelling. Down here there’s also storage and a small sauna. Matte varnished oak floors are used throughout, paired with dark-stained oak panels and oak veneer millwork. A touch of richness is added via the Spanish Nero Marquina marble, which is deployed to great effect in the top lit primary bathroom and the fireplace in the living room.

Local cabinet makers and carpenters were enlisted to build the joinery, including the kitchen and staircase structure, whilst the interior furnishings represent an impeccable tasteful trawl of contemporary and mid-century pieces from Europe and California. They include Ligne Roset’s Taru sofa and armchairs, Hans Wegner’s ‘Wishbone’ chairs and the ‘Noch-Ein-Tisch’ dining table by Moyard, along with the ‘Eames’ wooden stool from Herman Miller.

MontalbaArchitects.com