R2A Architectes Sinks One Apartment and Cantilevers Another in Caloz Bramois House
In 2025, R2A architectes completed the Caloz Bramois House in Bramois, Switzerland, a residence designed for two families that innovatively reinterprets the stacked duplex concept. The lower unit is set below ground level to seamlessly integrate with the garden, while the upper apartment extends outward on steel columns, offering a terrace and scenic mountain views. Each unit boasts its own entrance, with unheated circulation areas situated outside the thermal envelope. The building is supported by a single exposed concrete core, while its facades are made of non-structural galvanized steel and fiber-cement panels. Sustainability features include a green roof, solar panels, and a rainwater collection system, with an emphasis on raw materials and unique floor plans for both apartments.
Key facts
- R2A architectes completed the Caloz Bramois House in Bramois, Sion, Switzerland, in 2025.
- The two-family house features two stacked apartments with opposite relationships to the ground: one sunken into the garden, the other cantilevered above.
- The building is structured around a single concrete core providing load-bearing support, seismic bracing, and mechanical/electrical services.
- The apartments have separate exterior entrances and no shared hallway, with unheated circulation spaces outside the thermal envelope.
- Interior materials include raw concrete and oak, with exposed foundation slab and no plaster or coatings.
- Exterior materials include galvanized steel, anodized aluminum, and staggered fiber-cement panels designed to develop a patina.
- Sustainability features include a green roof, a solar-power carport, permeable landscaping, and a rainwater infiltration system.
- The project follows R2A's approach in Valais, as seen in Maison Bellon-Camprubi, with legible materials and structure.
Entities
Institutions
- R2A architectes
Locations
- Bramois
- Sion
- Switzerland
- Valais