There are some places on this Earth where it would be amazing to live. Usually, people dream of living by the beach, in the countryside, or in a city with beautiful architecture. But do you know anyone who would want to live by…a set of railroad tracks?
You may think it’d be a noisy and dirty set-up, but after seeing this house, it’s obvious this idea is incredible. An old train station in the countryside of Gstaad, Switzerland, was given new life by architect Antonie Bertherat-Kioes. The Gruben generation station began operations in 1904, but is now an idyllic vacation home for a family of six.
The station, once used for the Montreux-Berner-Oberland narrow gauge railway line, has been preserved.
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The interior has been fully renovated and outfitted with new appliances, but Antonie left many charming remnants of the home’s former life.
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Much of the house was gutted, but this original control panel (now with an encased fireplace) is a unique reminder of what the house was used for.
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Reclaimed and treated wood from the old station is present throughout the house.
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There are even huge transformers right in the middle of the kitchen. Not just any house could pull those off as decorations.
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The interior was spread out into three levels to give the home a distinct flow (rather than being one big, empty space).
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Nestled in the hills of Switzerland, living by the railroad tracks never looked so good. This is an idyllic location.
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(via: onekindesign.com)
The house, with its mix of old and new and the juxtaposition of industrial remnants and comforting design, is a welcome sight. Instead of tearing down the vestiges of what life was once like, this architect was able to breathe new energy into this old building. This inspiring project really paid off.
