017 Stone House – Herzog & de Meuron

Project: 1982
Realization: 1985-1988

Process

The house is free-standing at a wooded slope of the Ligurian hinterland.

The remnants of a former house on the parcel.

The model clarifies the fractal crystalline structure of the house with which it can bridge hollow spaces of the surrounding rock. The roof plate is used as a cistern for rainwater. The interior is condensed into a structure without hallway.

Old natural stone supporting walls in olive groves photographed during the first on-site tour provided the idea for the use of natural stone.

Tree trunk and concrete supports visually melt into a common supporting structure. The orientation of the concrete skeleton towards the existing natural conditions becomes visible.

The doors and windows, set back deeply into the wall with their slate-gray reveals, provide the building with a rampart-like character that is enhanced by the metal window shutters. They reoccur in a further development and a curved shape in the curtain wall facade of the apartment building in Basel’s Schützenmattstrasse.

Vertically divided strip windows on the upper floor allow for a panoramic vista of the landscape, similar to a watchtower. Towards the inside, they spread a generous amount of light and an atmosphere that we know from movies made in Frank Lloyd Wrighthouses.

Door grid and shadow play within the house.

The stairway is cut into one of the four adjoining living rooms.

During the construction phase, nature noticeably invaded the shell, as though it could compress its rooms into a crystal. Trees and pylons commingle in the picture.

Drawings

Team

Partners: Jacques Herzog; Pierre de Meuron

Facts

Planning: Construction Management: Herzog & de Meuron Basel Ltd., Basel, Switzerland
Building Data: Site Area: 53'819 sqft, 5'000 sqm; Gross floor area (GFA): 2'238 sqft, 208 sqm; Footprint: 1'937 sqft, 180 sqm

Bibliography

Irina Davidovici: “Herzog & de Meuron. Stone House, Tavole, Italy. Project 1982, Realisation 1985-88.” In: “Forms of Practice. German-Swiss Architecture 1980-2000.” Zurich, gta, 2012. pp. 80-94.

Luis Fernández-Galiano (Ed.): “Arquitectura Viva. Herzog & de Meuron 1978-2007.” 2nd rev. ed. Madrid, Arquitectura Viva, 2007.

Fernando Márquez Cecilia, Richard Levene (Eds.): “El Croquis. Herzog & de Meuron 1981-2000. Between the Face and the Landscape. The Cunning of Cosmetics. Entre el Rostro y el Paisaje. La Astucia de la Cosmética.” 2nd adv. and rev. ed. Vol. No. 60+84, Madrid, El Croquis, 2005.

Nobuyuki Yoshida (Ed.): “Architecture and Urbanism. Herzog & de Meuron 1978-2002.” Tokyo, A+U Publishing Co., Ltd., 02.2002.

“Herzog & de Meuron. Natural History.” Edited by: Philip Ursprung. Exh. Cat. Herzog & de Meuron. Archaeology of the Mind. Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal. 23 October 2002 – 6 April 2003. 2nd ed. Baden, Lars Müller, 2005.

Gerhard Mack, Herzog & de Meuron: “Herzog & de Meuron 1978-1988. Das Gesamtwerk. Band 1. The Complete Works. Volume 1.” Edited by: Gerhard Mack. Basel / Boston / Berlin, Birkhäuser, 1997. Vol. No. 1.

Jacques Herzog: “Recent Work of Herzog & de Meuron.” In: Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (Ed.). “Columbia Documents of Architecture and Theory.” Vol. No. 4, New York, Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, 1995. pp. 5-25.

Martin Steinmann: “The Presence of Things. Die Gegenwärtigkeit der Dinge. Comments on Recent Architecture in Northern Switzerland. Bemerkungen zur neueren Architektur in der Deutschen Schweiz.” In: Mark Gilbert, Kevin Alter (Eds.). “Construction Intention Detail. Five Projects from five Swiss Architects. Fünf Projekte von fünf Schweizer Architekten.” Exh. Cat. Zurich / Munich / London, Artemis AG, 1994. pp. 8-25.

Martin Steinmann: “Möglichkeiten eines Gegenstandes. Zum Haus für eine Sammlung neuerer Kunst in München.” In: Vorstand der Initiative von Müncher Galerien zeitgenössischer Kunst (Ed.). “Kritik. Zeitgenössische Kunst München.” Vol. No. 2, Munich, Vorstand der Initiative von Müncher Galerien zeitgenössischer Kunst, 1993. pp. 52-56.

Jacques Lucan: “Jacques Herzog & Pierre de Meuron. Vers une Architecture.” In: Dieter Bachmann (Ed.). “Du. Die Zeitschrift der Kultur. Pendenzen. Neuere Architektur in der deutschen Schweiz.” Vol. No. 5, Zurich, Conzett + Huber Zeitschriften AG, 05.1992. pp. 28-33.

Bernhard Bürgi, Jacques Herzog: “Gespräch zwischen Jacques Herzog und Bernhard Bürgi, Basel, 8. November 1990. Conversation between Jacques Herzog and Bernhard Bürgi, Basel, 8th November 1990.” In: Gerhard Mack (Ed.). “Herzog & de Meuron 1989-1991. Das Gesamtwerk. Band 2. The Complete Works. Volume 2.” 2nd adv. and rev. ed. Basel / Boston / Berlin, Birkhäuser, 2005. Vol. No. 2. pp. 183-188. First published in: Jacques Herzog, Bernhard Bürgi: “Gespräch zwischen Jacques Herzog und Bernhard Bürgi, Basel, 8. November 1990.” In: Kunstverein München (Ed.). “Architektur von Herzog & de Meuron im Kunstverein München. Eine Ausstellung in den vier Räumen des Kunstvereins München mit Beiträgen von Helmut Federle und Enrique Fontanilles sowie einem Gespräch Berhard Bürgi – Jacques Herzog.” Exh. Cat. “Architektur von Herzog & de Meuron im Kunstverein München.” 1 March – 7 April 1991. Munich, Kunstverein München, 1991. pp. 8-20.

Jacques Herzog: “Die verborgene Geometrie der Natur. The Hidden Geometry of Nature.” In: Gerhard Mack (Ed.). “Herzog & de Meuron 1978-1988. Das Gesamtwerk. Band 1. The Complete Works. Volume 1.” Basel / Boston / Berlin, Birkhäuser, 1997. Vol. No. 1. pp. 207-211. First published in: Jacques Herzog: “La Geometria oculta de la Naturalesa. The Hidden Geometry of Nature.”
In: Josep Lluís Mateo (Ed.). “Quaderns d’Arquitectura i Urbanisme. Geogafies. Geographies.” Vol. No. 181/182, Barcelona, Col-legi d’Arquitectes de Catalunya. Association of Catalan Architects, 09.1989. pp. 96-109.