Alexander Rys (57) has been remodeling his dream house in Lichtensteig for years: historic house with great potential in Lichtensteig

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Alexander Rys (57) learned through a colleague that an old house with an inner courtyard was for sale in Lichtensteig SG. The town with medieval buildings in the old town was already familiar to Zurich residents. In 2023, Lichtensteig was awarded the Wakker Prize, an award given by the Swiss Heritage Protection Agency for places with exemplary cityscape conservation. Rys had already been to the city several times and knew some of the historic buildings.

But Rys was not yet aware of the run-down, vacant sale property on Schabeggweg, which dates back to 1560 and has been expanded, converted and repurposed many times since then. «When I saw the house, I immediately knew that this was the house I had dreamed of many years ago. “It was like a vision,” says trained decorative designer Alexander Rys. Rys bought the property in December 2006 for around 170,000 francs, thanks to his father’s interest-free loan.

Living without plans, without comfort, humanely

The Zurich resident moved to Toggenburg in January 2007 and has been living in his 21-room house ever since. “I moved in a week, alone and without a plan. In the first year I only renewed the basic elements and decorated and designed the interior to make it comfortable,” says the creative, cheerful Rys, who previously lived as a monk in Uetliberg in Zurich and also lived temporarily abroad.

Rys first wrote a basic concept for himself with the open house idea. «I wanted to create a place in my home where there was humanity. That was my vision,” explains Rys. The idea of ​​uncomplicated co-living in the old house was well received. A varying number of like-minded people lived in his house for six years and supported Rys in some of his renovations. “It was an enriching and wonderful time. We were in a large shared flat and organized various events,” says Rys.

Skepticism in the city

A space for meetings and events has been created on the ground floor, where the Traube restaurant once stood. Rys transformed the old grape into his “house lantern”.

No exterior renovations have been seen for years. The former mayor and some of the public were uncomfortable with this. “I had to submit a construction plan with a construction start date,” explains Rys, who did most of the renovation and conversion work himself. He would have local masters do the work that a self-taught, versatile master could not do on his own.

Heavy equipment and painstaking manual work

With the start of the renovation work, the shared flat in the building, which gradually expanded over seven floors, was also terminated. The roof was completely renewed in 2012. In 2013, the facade of the half-timbered house was also tackled. This meant that it could be seen from the outside that the renovation was in progress. What is happening inside has been hidden from the public for now. From 2020 to 2023, there was a particularly intense construction phase of interior work.

The original building structure with old walls and beams was resurfaced by Rys and experienced workers. Much of the work was meticulously restored by hand, but heavy equipment and excavators were also used. “The statics of the house were quite questionable and we had to brace some ceilings with steel beams and replace rotten beams and floors,” explains Rys.

Within three years, the former Traube’s ground-floor dining room was transformed into a small, partitioned room with new fir wood floors from the area and an open living room with a new open kitchen. The plinth and bar were rebuilt with stones taken from old walls or floors, using historical mortar mixtures. All are welcome to dine and dine in Rys’ living room and kitchen. “But I’m not a restaurant. “When I’m there, the door is open and anyone who wants to eat the food I cook with me can do so,” explains Rys. There is no price list, but there is a cash register where you can pay whatever you want.

High renovation costs for an ambitious project

The upper areas of the house are still private for now. The owner lives there with his two dogs. Most are still construction sites or used as warehouses and magazines by Rys and the craftsmen. He still has a lot of catching up to do before he can eventually open a small bed and breakfast. He doesn’t have any stress about it, and he also doesn’t have the financial resources for a complete renovation. «This home is not an investment or income property. That’s why it sat empty for a long time and couldn’t find a buyer,” says the developer.

For him, this is a project and home close to his heart, where he can live and share his unconventional lifestyle. So far he has invested around 1.8 million francs in his house, financed by his deceased father. The annual budget for the construction work is approximately 50,000 francs. This also includes the compensation Rys receives for his work. In addition to his own construction work, the creative all-rounder also earns some money from time to time doing illustrations, housework or gardening. This is enough for him to live a modest life with his two dogs. “I don’t have a day job in the traditional sense,” he says with a laugh.

Positive reactions during viewing

Rys was also able to present its “open house” to the public in time during the festivities surrounding the Wakker Prize awarded to Lichtensteig for its historic buildings and the revitalization of the old town in summer 2023.

Rys gets along well with the new mayor. Rys is now a citizen of Lichtensteig and has long felt at home in the beautiful town of Toggenburg. Rys feels a bit proud when he says of his home renovation: “The response from visitors has been very positive. I’m glad about that.” We can look forward to the continuation of the extraordinary renovation project.

Source : Blick