The soul
How many times have you heard yourself saying “It’s easier to simply knock it all down”? Since 1780, the date of the initial construction, each successive owner has left their mark on this building situated inside the ramparts of the city of Sion. It was up to us to uncover these marks and leave our own. The addition of seismic reinforcements by means of concrete fortification and a lift trémie, creating a deliberately comfortable living environment for modern generations, could either have destroyed or consolidated the soul of the place. Our focus was firmly on the latter option.

Ensconced in a medieval setting, the roof of which can be seen from the Basilique de Valère, the two buildings are closed in on three sides. The two houses both use the entire height of the buildings like two maisonettes served by the old, spiral stone staircase and a shared lift.

The reduced space and limited light gave rise to a specific and somewhat unconventional design. The bedrooms are on the ground floor, at the lowest and darkest level of the building. Higher up, there is a clear view above the adjoining building over the rooftops, the town and the castle hill. The kitchen, dining room and living areas reach up to the top of the house. An existing balcony extended by a deeper section and a new balcony in front of the main staircase offer each house its own outdoor area.

Here, it is not a case of smoothing over the past but of revealing it. These apartments offer an opportunity to propose unusual accommodation that marks the presence of the place and its history. The flagstones and out-of-plumb walls lend a rather unusual character to these apartments which were quickly snapped up. An old lady doesn’t need a face lift.