Playing house

A fresh and fun approach to space and light has transformed this former coach house into a family home fit for its innovative architect owner

Character and fun abound in this Basel coach house, which has been transformed by its innovative architect owner

Pass through the imposing Spalentor gate, part of Basel’s ancient city wall, and, nearby, you’ll spot a narrow path leading to a tree-lined courtyard. A serene oasis, removed from the bustle and traffic noise of the Swiss metropolis, this is where local architect Andreas Bründler discovered his unique home. Originally a coach house, built in 1889 to serve the villa formerly located on the same spot, the property boasted a stable, a carriage room with a hayloft, and a rudimentary living area with a tack room.

It was its historical façade, however, that caught the attention of Andreas and his wife, Sandra, who moved here with their two children last spring. The co-founder of Buchner Bründler Architects was captivated by its cornerstones and friezes made of Bernese sandstone, and the grand, sweeping curve of its wooden gable. The latter’s traditional detail was the inspiration for the playfully modern use of arches and circles, which have given this transformed property its unique character.

The theme recurs time and again, be it in a round cut-out in a wall, a window opening or a railing detail. ‘It’s this harmonious geometrical form that allowed us to create a link between the existing and the new,’ explains Andreas. The building’s exterior has been left untouched but, inside, Andreas has let his imagination run wild.

Often, the best way to drive innovation is with a challenge, and that’s what the interior of this former outbuilding posed. ‘It was,’ says Andreas, ‘completely closed off to daylight.’ His ingenious answer was to create a house within a house – a concrete structure detached from the rear walls that appears to float above the openplan ground-floor living areas, surrounded by a glow emitted from the vast skylights above.

A curving staircase leads to a central play area, complete with a set of gymnastic rings, that sits outside the two children’s rooms. Circular openings cut into the concrete walls and sawn-fir panelling allow light into the guest room and bathroom beyond. On the top-floor mezzanine, the main bedroom and bathroom are connected by a long corridor in which two feeding troughs from the original stables have been repurposed as washbasins.

Andreas and Sandra’s home may be a joyful space, full of custom-designed pieces of furniture and hand-picked classics, but it is the garden courtyard that the family claim is their favourite place to spend time together. It’s here, on the patio constructed using stone fragments from the build, that Andreas passes his love for creating out-of-the-ordinary structures onto his children. He recently built them a temporary playhouse from roof battens removed during the renovation, helping to ensure a new generation of original thinkers. bbarc.ch

Living area A suspended concrete chimney is the focal point of this open-plan space and separates the living and dining areas. Next to the fire sits a stone and iron menorah by Israeli sculptor David Palombo. A painting by local artist Thomas Hauri is positioned behind the leather ‘Naviglio’ sofa by Umberto Asnago for Arflex. The vintage 1980s coffee table is the ‘Kono’ by Lella and Massimo Vignelli for Casigliani

Portrait Homeowner and architect Andreas and his wife, Sandra Opposite A custom-designed table by Buchner Bründler Architects is surrounded by teak ‘Shanghai’ chairs by Inch Furniture. Leaning against the wall is Untitled (Cactus) by German artist Daniel Gustav Cramer, and the ‘Arco’ floor lamp is by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni for Flos ➤

Kitchen Crafted from white concrete and solid oak, the large island and cabinetry act as a divider between this open-plan living space and the cosy retreat of the library. A pair of ‘PK22’ lounge chairs by Poul Kjærholm for Fritz Hansen face out to the garden ➤