Page 144 - AIT0319_E-Paper

WOHNEN • LIVING INNERE WERTE • INNER VALUES

wie Holz, Stein und Metall und verbauten diese in sichtbaren Kons truktionen.
Ebenfalls im Einsatz waren bei der Sanierung aufgefundene Werkstoffe wie alte
Tannenriemen oder Tonziegel, die bislang aus Brand schutz gründen den Dach boden
der Scheune bedeckten und nun in einigen Woh nun gen wieder zum Einsatz kamen.
Auf diese Weise sparten die Planer nicht nur Ressourcen ein, sondern zollten darüber
hinaus dem Wert des Bestandes Respekt. Historische und zeitgenössische Nutzung
sowie Geschichte und Gegenwart bilden in der Folge eine intuitiv erfahrbare Einheit,
in der sich architekturaffine wie naturverbundene Bewohner wohlfühlen können.
Die Umgebung vernetzen und Mehrwert schaffen

Besitzer Andreas Geser geht nach der abgeschlossenen Scheunen-Umnutzung in seiner
Profession als Landschaftsarchitekt bald noch einen finalen Schritt weiter und möchte
künftig das zum Gebäude gehörende Grundstück mit traditionellen Hofpflasterungen
und Gemüsegarten versehen. Alte Mauern, Bäume und Sträucher sollen bleiben und
nicht etwa unnötigen Parkflächen geopfert werden. Stattdessen soll ein öffentlicher
Fußweg über das Gelände führen, der vor allem als sicherer Schulweg einen Mehrwert
für die ganze Gemeinde München wiler bringt.

A fter the introduction of the Reformation in 1535, it seemed logical to the new secu-
lar rulers to demolish the site of the old Cluniac monastery near Lake Murten and
use the building material to construct Münchenwiler Castle at the same place. In the
course of the work, the later 'Kühlerhaus' (shepherd's house) was built, which was
extended 200 years later by an impressive barn. While the castle now belongs to the
Canton of Berne and is used as a hotel and event location, the barn is owned by
Zurich-based landscape architect Andreas Geser, who had the idea of turning the for-
mer agricultural complex into a residential building with rental apartments. To this
end, the barn – the largest building of its kind in the canton – had to be restored in
accordance with monument preservation requirements. In a second step, the archi-
Bei der Materialwahl orientierten sich die Planer am Bestand ... • Material selection was guided by the historic ... tects from bernarth+widmer implanted a timber construction that is invisible from the
outside and provides three storeys for seven maisonettes of various sizes inside. In the
... und versuchten, originale Baustoffe wiederzuverwenden. • ... building and aims to reuse original materials. old residential building, the layout was changed to create two apartments.

Maintaining identity and creating quality of life

All newly constructed residential units extend over the entire depth of the building and
are separated from each other by brick fire walls. Each apartment has a vertical struc-
ture and is equipped with an oak core, which zones the narrow units and provides
stairs, kitchen, laundry room, bathroom, toilet unit, and sliding doors. The transitions
from one use to another are smooth and freely configurable. Entrances and windows
on the brick-built ground floor were created using the original wall openings. The upper
floors, on the other hand, are located behind a windowless half-timbered structure fil-
led with wooden boards. In order to nevertheless achieve natural lighting for the up to
five-metre-high living spaces and to create weather-protected private outdoor areas, a
second fully glazed façade was installed behind. In addition, the historical façade ensu-
res plenty of privacy and an effective play of light and shadow. In terms of materiality,
the planners – following the characteristics of the existing building – used the most natu-
ral products possible, such as wood, stone, and metal, for visible constructions.
Materials found during the renovation were reused, such as old fir floorboards or clay
tiles, which previously covered the attic of the barn for fire protection reasons and are
now being used in some apartments. In this way, the planners saved resources and paid
respect to the value of the existing property. Historic and contemporary utilisation as
well as past and present form an intuitively perceptible entity in which residents with
an affinity for architecture and nature can feel at home.

Networking the environment and creating added value

Upon completion, owner Andreas Geser will be taking a final step as a landscape archi-
tect and wants to finish the surrounding grounds with traditional pavements and a vege-
table garden. Old walls, trees, and bushes are to be preserved and not sacrificed for
parking. Instead, a public footpath is to lead across the site, which, above all as a safe
way to school, brings added value for the entire village of Münchenwiler.

144 • AIT 3.2019