The design for a ski chalet has been fairly standardized for the last few decades, after all it’s part of the skiing experience and the embodiment of a mountain lifestyle.
But the Chalet Anzere by SeARCH agency in Holland have embraced the traditional, and given an all-new modern aesthetic to the definitive Chalet.
The agency were approached by a client – entrepreneur, hobby pianist and racing driver – who bought a building plot in Anzère, located in the Swiss Alps but was unhappy with the cluttered layout and lack of road accessibility. Inspired by the impressive ‘Grand Chalet Balthus’ in Rossinière SeARCH started from scratch to create a modern space that meets the client’s brief without unduly impacting the surrounding landscape.
One key feature was the garage, which was relocated from the back of the house where it originally caused problematic access to the lower road. Through a lift, carved into the mountain, it has a direct connection to all three levels of the house; the guesthouse downstairs, the main living areas in the middle and the private apartment in the attic.
The ‘traditional’ chalet, originating from ‘chahtelèt’ (shepherd’s hut) consists of a solid wooden house with shutters and gable roof, resting on a stone foundation. In the Swiss Alps, the chalet has gradually become a ‘multi-gabled’ pastiche as luxury ski-chalet or grew to mega proportions with a maximum of apartments for affordable tourism.
All of the three floors have access to three-meter wide terraces, connected by stairs to an incredible view over the Dent Blanche Massif with over 4000 peaks of the Matterhorn, Dent Blanche, Dufourspitze and Weisshorn.
Photography: Ossip van Duivenbode
