DOI Artikel:
Mobbs, Robert: Swiss architecture and the work of Edmond Fatio
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20710#0042
Swiss Architecture
chalets, in spite of the sobriety of their style, simple, its facades, sometimes white-washed, or
present a richness of appearance. This, however, showing the wood-work or partly covered with
they lose if the architect, as is too much the wood-shingle. In certain cases the tints of
fashion now, forgetful of healthy tradition, encum- the window-frame work are ornamental enough,
bers the facades with lace-like wood carving. The balconies, like those in the chalets, will
It will be seen by an examination of the accom- always be sheltered by the roof or protected by
panying illustrations that it was these mountain small projecting roofs which may supply a
chalets which inspired Mr. Fatio in his happy picturesque motij. The wooden house has to be
working out of the plans for the villas which erected on a stone base of at least three feet to
he has constructed in the neighbourhood of protect it from the dampness of the soil and to
Geneva. We here distinguish the two different preserve the superstructure. The balconies of the
types of the flat-roofed and the gable-roofed old Swiss chalet are always high up under the roof,
chalets. and never on the ground floor as in some modern
The principles .which obtain in the construction imitations,
of the wooden chalet should serve as guides in the The chalet Boissonnas (pages 20 and 21), in the
erection of the stone house. This, too, should construction of which wood and stone are corn-
have a large roof (which is the main characteristic bined, has a particularly interesting character of its
of the Swiss house). Its decoration will also be own. The Langlois chalet, which is illustrated
on page 22, is entirely of wood
reared on a base - work of
stone. It is rectangular in
plan, and is decorated inside
with Renaissance wainscottings
in keeping with its style.
The Fatio and Kunkler chalets
are much larger, and are con-
structed on a more irregular
plan. In all these buildings
four different kinds of wood
have been utilised—fir, pine,
larch, and arolle — either for
the exterior or for the de-
coration of the interior. Fur-
nished with every comfort and
convenience these chalets can be
inhabited all the year round.
The gable-roofed kind is only
represented by the Roussy chalet,
of a quite different form, recall-
ing to the mind the chalets in
the Canton of Lucerne. Stand-
ing on a steep side of the borders
of the Lake of Geneva, amidst a
wealth of verdure, it is not, how-
ever, out of place, and seems in
happy harmony with its sur-
roundings.
Constructed at a high altitude
in the Jura, in a rude climate,
the Villa Duval is of a robust
and severe style. In this case,
wood is only used for the frame-
work and the balconies. Along
chapel at cornillon a. fatio, architect the principal fofode a spacious
25
chalets, in spite of the sobriety of their style, simple, its facades, sometimes white-washed, or
present a richness of appearance. This, however, showing the wood-work or partly covered with
they lose if the architect, as is too much the wood-shingle. In certain cases the tints of
fashion now, forgetful of healthy tradition, encum- the window-frame work are ornamental enough,
bers the facades with lace-like wood carving. The balconies, like those in the chalets, will
It will be seen by an examination of the accom- always be sheltered by the roof or protected by
panying illustrations that it was these mountain small projecting roofs which may supply a
chalets which inspired Mr. Fatio in his happy picturesque motij. The wooden house has to be
working out of the plans for the villas which erected on a stone base of at least three feet to
he has constructed in the neighbourhood of protect it from the dampness of the soil and to
Geneva. We here distinguish the two different preserve the superstructure. The balconies of the
types of the flat-roofed and the gable-roofed old Swiss chalet are always high up under the roof,
chalets. and never on the ground floor as in some modern
The principles .which obtain in the construction imitations,
of the wooden chalet should serve as guides in the The chalet Boissonnas (pages 20 and 21), in the
erection of the stone house. This, too, should construction of which wood and stone are corn-
have a large roof (which is the main characteristic bined, has a particularly interesting character of its
of the Swiss house). Its decoration will also be own. The Langlois chalet, which is illustrated
on page 22, is entirely of wood
reared on a base - work of
stone. It is rectangular in
plan, and is decorated inside
with Renaissance wainscottings
in keeping with its style.
The Fatio and Kunkler chalets
are much larger, and are con-
structed on a more irregular
plan. In all these buildings
four different kinds of wood
have been utilised—fir, pine,
larch, and arolle — either for
the exterior or for the de-
coration of the interior. Fur-
nished with every comfort and
convenience these chalets can be
inhabited all the year round.
The gable-roofed kind is only
represented by the Roussy chalet,
of a quite different form, recall-
ing to the mind the chalets in
the Canton of Lucerne. Stand-
ing on a steep side of the borders
of the Lake of Geneva, amidst a
wealth of verdure, it is not, how-
ever, out of place, and seems in
happy harmony with its sur-
roundings.
Constructed at a high altitude
in the Jura, in a rude climate,
the Villa Duval is of a robust
and severe style. In this case,
wood is only used for the frame-
work and the balconies. Along
chapel at cornillon a. fatio, architect the principal fofode a spacious
25