House with Shades

Abstract

In the Bavarian section of the Tessin, a scenic stretch of lake-laced Alpine foothills at the intersection of Italy, Switzerland, and Germany, tradition governs home-building in both style and structure. Wood frames, thick walls, vaulted ceilings, and white-trimmed windows are part of the regional protocol. But when a local couple approached Achenbach Architekten + Designer — a high-tech firm known for bravura steel-and-glass structures — to build their new home, they knew they would not end up in a quaint villa with geranium-filled window boxes.