Set within a dramatic natural setting in Switzerland, Winkelhaus is the inaugural Swiss project of estudio kmmk and a single-family residence shaped as much by its landscape as by the specific needs of its inhabitants. Positioned in close relationship to an adjacent forest and expansive valley, the house is designed as a curved form that orients all interior spaces toward the surrounding views, allowing the architecture to register seasonal change as part of everyday life. From the outset, the project was conceived not as an isolated object placed on a site, but as a building to be integrated into terrain, climate, and local history.

Building with site, history, and topography

The landscape strategy is central to the project’s identity. By nesting the structure into the ground, the house appears embedded within the natural terrain, giving the impression that it has long belonged to the site. This decision is not only visual. The earth surrounding the building also contributes to thermal regulation, using ground mass to stabilise interior temperatures throughout the year and reduce energy demand.

Material choices reinforce this dialogue with place. Textured bronze windows register changing light conditions and echo the autumnal tones of the nearby forest, while hand-worked natural stone slabs refer to local Roman ruins, acknowledging the historical layers of the region. In contrast, the interior palette is deliberately restrained, with seamless white floors, white-washed natural wood, and white plastered surfaces creating a calm atmosphere in which daylight and landscape become the primary spatial elements.

Integrated design as a performance strategy

A defining feature of Winkelhaus is the early and sustained integration of technical disciplines into the design process. Building physics, structural, electrical, and HVAC engineers, together with landscape specialists, were involved from the earliest conceptual stages, well before the project was submitted for approval. This approach allowed major environmental and construction strategies to be resolved in parallel with architectural development rather than retrofitted after the formal concept had been set.

This close collaboration was especially important in rationalising the project’s complex geometry for efficient construction while maintaining the clarity of the original design. The result is a building in which technical systems, structure, and spatial intent are closely aligned. Rather than treating sustainability as an added layer, the project embeds performance thinking into the architectural process itself.

Renewable systems and thermal efficiency

Winkelhaus achieves a high level of energy independence through the combination of solar power and geothermal energy. The house is equipped with 36 solar panels and a geothermal system with three boreholes of approximately 200 metres each, working together with a heat pump to supply the building. In summer, the residence can generate 100 per cent of its energy demand from renewable sources, while winter output is naturally lower due to reduced solar availability. Although the private client did not pursue formal certification, the building meets the standards of the Swiss Minergie label.

The thermal envelope supports this operational performance. The building uses 200 mm XPS insulation in both the ground slab and upper floor walls, while triple-glazed windows with aluminium exterior frames and timber interior frames provide strong thermal and acoustic performance. The swimming pool is also tied into the project’s renewable energy strategy, with a larger unheated pool and a smaller heated water lounge powered by the same systems.

Material efficiency and technological innovation

Local sourcing and material optimisation are also central to the project. The structural concrete used for slabs and exposed exterior walls is sourced locally to reduce transport distances. Concrete use is moderated through the introduction of interior spruce timber cladding, which conceals insulation, reduces structural weight, and provides a consistent internal finish across doors, built-in furniture, and cabinetry. Most of this timber is sourced from Switzerland or elsewhere in Europe, further lowering transport-related impacts.

The house also functions as a smart home operated through a KNX system, allowing occupants to manage energy consumption through an app. This commitment to technical innovation extends to a planned 3D-printed formwork for the outdoor kitchen, developed in collaboration with the robotics industry and researchers at ETH Zurich.