Haus R

This spacious house is located in a leafy neighbourhood of detached houses in the municipality of Arlesheim, BL, on a gentle slope. Arlesheim is one of the most beautiful villages in Switzerland and was awarded the Wakker Prize in 2024 for its architectural and urban planning quality. The proximity to the city of Basel, the green and natural surroundings, the historic village centre and the good infrastructure characterise the special quality of life in the municipality.

The building complex is divided into two precisely arranged L-shaped structures that define and enclose different outdoor spaces. The deliberately setback, two-storey main building runs parallel to the neighbourhood street and creates a clear address with an inviting entrance courtyard. At right angles to this, slightly elevated to follow the topography, is the single-storey pavilion, which forms the eastern end of the main garden with its pool area. This spatial arrangement allows for exciting views across the shared outdoor area.

The ground floor of the main building comprises the entrance area, a spacious living, cooking and dining area, a library and a guest room with an en-suite bathroom. The upper floor houses the private bedrooms with dressing rooms and several bathrooms, the fitness and wellness area and a home office. All rooms open generously onto the terrace and the main garden – the transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces are fluid.

The pavilion serves as an additional living and recreation area with its own kitchen and open fireplace – in summer as a pool house, in winter as a cosy retreat. A generous glass front opens the room onto the pool and garden area. In addition to technical and ancillary rooms, the basement offers a stylish wine cellar with floor-to-ceiling Sky Frame glass walls and wine racks made of smoked oak. Light is provided by large, frameless Sky Frame glass façades facing the garden, frameless perforated windows in the private areas, strip windows in the pavilion and generous glazing in the stairwell.

The façades are finished with a rear-ventilated natural stone cladding made of Avorio San Sebastian. Irregularly structured stone strips and solid cornices characterise the façade and lend the building depth and character. The light-coloured limestone is also used in garden slabs and in large-format floor and wall coverings in the interior. The high-quality material concept is complemented by smoked oak parquet flooring in the living and sleeping areas and elegant, dark anodised metal surfaces on window frames and fixtures.

The interior design is characterised by warm, earth-coloured surfaces and high-quality materials such as natural stone, smoked oak and individual elements in matt brushed stainless steel. Individually designed fixtures blend harmoniously with the respective use and materials. Comfort ventilation, air conditioning units integrated into the built-in furniture and a geothermal heat pump with underfloor heating ensure a pleasant indoor climate.

The structure consists of concrete ceilings and walls, partly brick-built and partly lightweight, with external thermal insulation made of rock wool behind the natural stone façade. The building is state-of-the-art in terms of technology: a KNX system enables intelligent control of lighting, air conditioning, audio system, building security and other functions. A custom-designed lighting concept combines direct and indirect lighting elements to create an atmospheric interior ambience.

The clear concept, precise architecture and high-quality materials blend harmoniously into the landscape. The building impresses with its confident yet understated design and creates spaces that will endure thanks to their timeless residential quality.