A Building Between Past and Future

The Tintorum, located in Klausen’s historic Färbergasse, is more than a residence – it is built memory, a transformed witness of centuries. Originally constructed in the 15th century as a poorhouse, it fell into decay during the late 20th century. By the 1990s, the once dignified structure stood abandoned: rotting beams, collapsing ceilings, walls on the verge of ruin – a monument at the edge of oblivion.

In 2014, architect Stefan Gamper took on the challenge of rescuing the building. His ambition was not only preservation but transformation: to safeguard authenticity while creating spaces suited to contemporary life – light-filled, pared-back, refined. The project demanded restraint. It became a balancing act between respect for history and bold reinterpretation.

Many original elements – vaulted ceilings, stone walls, timber beams – were carefully retained. Layers of later, intrusive additions were stripped away, revealing the essence of the old structure. Traces of past lives, like a doorway just 1.70 m high, were preserved as subtle reminders of another era.

New architectural interventions were designed with humility. Built-in furniture, glass partitions, and discreet insertions appear as “implants” within the historic shell – never touching or overpowering it. Wood, glass, and steel were employed not as rivals to the old fabric but as quiet companions.

Daylight posed the greatest challenge. Nestled between two narrow alleys with a partially obscured south façade, the building had limited natural light. Through carefully placed roof openings, loggias, and light shafts, daylight was drawn deep into the interiors, transforming once dark rooms into luminous living spaces.

Today, the Tintorum houses four exceptional apartments where modern comfort meets visible history. Open floorplans create a spatial dramaturgy of living kitchens, bedrooms, and retreats, interwoven with massive stone walls and exposed beam ceilings. Furniture remains understated, often integrated or reversible. Materials are local, tactile, and honest: brushed larch, oiled wood floors, exposed concrete in bathrooms, muted tones throughout.

The luxury of the Tintorum is not ostentatious but quiet – a luxury of calm, simplicity, and craftsmanship. It is architecture as dialogue across centuries: intelligent, restrained, and poetic.