Progressive construction – from       Urfer & Stähli to Buchner Bründler

The architectural firm of Buchner Bründler AG Architekten BSA was founded in 1997 by Andreas Bründler and Daniel Buchner. It consists of a team of approximately thirty architects, interior designers and designers. From the very beginning the architects made a name for themselves with their unusual residential structures. 

In 2003 they were admitted by the Federation of Swiss Architects (Bund Schweizer Architekten - BSA) and received the Swiss Art Award for architecture. As a result of various competition victories they were able to complete important projects, both in Switzerland and abroad, including urban ones, such as the Volta Centre in Basel, parts of the Stadtwerder residential development in Bremen, the GA 200 room complex at UN headquarters in New York and, most recently, the Swiss Pavilion at Expo 2010 in Shanghai. In recent years the architects have also devoted themselves to education and research. They have been active as lecturers in design at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich since the summer of 2010. Further information: www.bbarc.ch.

In the same style as the light-flooded restaurant area added in 1958, the goal was to once again to create generous and airy spaces. Therefore, in addition to its new appearance, the bar, lounge and restaurant also received a new layout. The restaurant itself was increased in size, made more rectangular and received large windows providing a view of the garden and the mountains. Internal and external spaces now flow into each other. Attractive materials provide the feeling of being well looked after: oak for the floor, a luscious green for the furniture and ceilings of varying heights which, thanks to the ornamentally-arranged openings, are reminiscent of gazing upwards through the branches of a tree.

The counterpart to the airy restaurant is the evening venue, the lounge and bar. The focuses are the fireplace and the bar itself, built of moor oak with burnished brass. To create the impression of a forest clearing, the architects created a wall of backlit wooden boxes.

In 2006 and 2008 12 double rooms, 7 junior suites and 3 suites underwent a complete refurbishment. Two new room categories were also created: "Nature" for the double rooms and "Privilege" for the junior suites and suites.

It was impossible to change the dimensions of the double rooms, which meant that a clever use of the limited space was necessary. The architects made some of the bathrooms with Bisazza glass mosaics accessible from two sides, providing a flowing transition to the room. The writing desk can simply be folded away when not required and the drawer beneath the bed offers ideal storage space.

The connection to nature and the region is visually reflected in the sandblasted glass reliefs depicting the Wildstrubel. The so-called abrasive discs are a traditional glass working technique in the Engstligental. Classic Scandinavian furniture (armchairs and chairs by Hans J. Wegner) convincingly connect tradition and modernity. The wood used in these pieces was left untreated, almost in its natural state.

Junior suites and "Privilege" suites – The task given to Buchner Bründler Architects was to create elegant and timeless living spaces for guests with demanding tastes. They approached this on various levels: with new dimensions for the suites and the shifting of the living space to the South, as well as with bathrooms accessible from two sides and high-quality materials. Noble elm and walnut wood and classic furniture designs (Gerrit Rietveld, Norman Cherner, Konstantin Crcic and Antonio Citterio) provide a feeling of being in good hands.

The indoor pool dating from the 70s, with its simple geometry and natural light, served as a reference for the renovation and expansion work carried out in 2009. The original size of the pool (8 x 16 m) was kept. Exposed concrete, spruce wood and a dark green cast terrazo floor create a feeling of spatial and material generosity. The sauna and bathing area with its four hot air baths is in direct contrast with the large and bright indoor pool. This space was newly created and wrenched from the mountainside. The inspiration for the architects was a crystal cave: forbidding and stony on the outside but a "cosy cave" on the inside, becoming more colourful and classy the further one penetrates inside. Polygonal cement cells create a new division of space while the open areas allow for easy movement throughout. The cells – containing a Himalayan salt sauna, a bio sauna and two steam baths – are clad in colourful glass mosaics. Each bath also includes a shower in its own integrated anteroom. Light fixtures made of spruce cast contrast-rich light throughout the relaxation areas.