Salvaging the past

IN SWITZERLAND, A HISTORIC BUILDING IS REBORN THANKS TO AN OUTSTANDING PROJECT OF CONSERVATIVE RESTORATION.

Where architectural heritage is left in a state of ruin and abandon, the Swiss Heritage Society has come up with an innovative remedy. The Vacations in Landmarks Foundation renovates decaying buildings for use by tourism. One good example of this creative initiative, involving local artisans and suppliers, is the Türalihus in Valendas. The villa stands in an old village and was built in 1485, then expanded in 1554 with its characteristic tower wing – hence the name, which means “tower house”. Abandoned since the 1940s, it was about to be demolished when the Foundation acquired it in 2007, and commissioned the restoration to the architecture firm Capaul & Blumenthal of Ilanz, known for its conservative approach to the region’s cultural heritage. The project is scientific but simple, keeping as much of the original structure as possible and delicately adapting the interiors, conserving the Baroque details that make the artifact special. The architects have created two apartments that can welcome from four to seven guests, safeguarding authentic signs of the past, from the worn steps to the oil-finish paneling, the stone floors to the soot-blackened walls. Five bedrooms, two living areas and two bathrooms, rich in striking, perfectly renovated features. The recent additions of the kitchen and the bathrooms have been inserted with sensitivity and elegance. The Türalihus bears witness to the fact that the past can be important and vital for contemporary society. This joint effort on the part of many local players and associations, with the architects Gordian Blumenthal and Ramun Capaul, makes it possible to go back in time, spending the night in an extraordinary setting.