© Roland Halbe
South of Montreux, only a few kilometres before the River Rhône flows from its broad valley into Lake Geneva, lies the municipality of Vouvry. Known for its viniculture, its mild climate and its proximity to the lake and the Mont Blanc massif, this village, with its Grand Rue of closely knit houses, has grown to become a much-loved address with detached single-family residences.
The present three-storey retirement home for senior citizens, comprising 20 dwelling units, is one of the larger developments in the small-scale built fabric. The articulation of the building volume, with a zigzag arrangement parallel to the adjoining roads, allowed the architects not only to integrate the complex into the scale of the surroundings, but also to create a forecourt sheltered from the wind that forms a meeting place on the village street.
The present three-storey retirement home for senior citizens, comprising 20 dwelling units, is one of the larger developments in the small-scale built fabric. The articulation of the building volume, with a zigzag arrangement parallel to the adjoining roads, allowed the architects not only to integrate the complex into the scale of the surroundings, but also to create a forecourt sheltered from the wind that forms a meeting place on the village street.