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First of all: the “Villa Freienstein” listed in Glarus has practically not been renovated. That was not the plan of new owners Reto and Tina Fuchs, who were able to purchase the historic building with a park in the heart of Glarus in 2018. Only the library was renovated, the master bedroom was painted and the sheltered garden was redesigned as much as possible and needed.
The Glarner couple, with their two children, Julian (6) and Jael (4), wanted to create a community space on 3,500 square feet. They succeeded. Where three people used to live, there are now 27 homes, nine of them children. “We’re always busy,” Reto Fuchs says with a laugh.
Modern terraced houses in a protected park
The Fuchs family live in the Freienstein estate. Reto Fuchs now has its own architectural office on the first floor. The family sitter lives on the top floor, where there is also a guest room. “We always have spontaneous visitors who want to stay. For example, when I offer city tours through Glarus. That’s how some friendships developed.” There are two more family apartments in the west wing of the mansion.
In the southern part of the historic park, which features protected trees such as California redwoods, thuja and copper beeches, architect Fuchs has designed and sold four new modern terraced homes for families.
Since then the old English garden has been used and maintained jointly by residents aged one to 90 years. It has become a natural garden where all children can play and celebrate together in the summer. This is entirely in the interest of the host family. Reto Fuchs: “The house and the park alone would have been too big for us. We wanted this special place to be filled with new life.”
Community use rather than environmental settlement
With the project for the shared use of the park and the planned new construction of terraced houses, Fuchs succeeded in convincing the former owners and monument conservation officials, and won the contract in 2018. It was able to stand out against investors who were planning a perimeter block layout with fourteen residential units on the property.
“My wife was enthusiastic about buying the villa from the very beginning, but when I got the request to buy it, I had some respect,” says the family man who offers guided tours and worked on it at Glarus. Cantonal Cultural Commission.
Collaboration with monument preservation and home preservation
However, he immediately began working on his overall concept, which was convincing. Fuchs says an early and good exchange with the cantonal protection of the monuments facilitated his project.
His sincere interest and interest in preserving historic buildings was also known in Glarus through Fuch’s city tours and creation of the virtual city model “Altglarus”. “This project was new territory for me on several levels, but it was exciting as an architect and a unique opportunity for the family,” says Reto Fuchs.
Fuchs has only words of praise for the preservation of monuments and homeland security: “We received good support and very constructive suggestions for improvement. Thanks to the support of the authorities, the extremely difficult task was completed in record time without any objections.”
award received
Dealing with existing cultural assets is a subject close to the heart of the architect. With a well thought-out integration of modern, three-story terraced houses in its park, it provides proof that dense construction need not conflict with the preservation of monuments and cultural property.
Meanwhile, he received an award for this and was able to run other architectural commissions for historic buildings. “I’m a little proud that well-known architects are interested in this project that goes far beyond classical architecture and visit us in Glarus,” says Fuchs.
Researched and documented the history of the villa
His passion for historic buildings is evident as he talks about the history of his villa, which he has researched and documented over the years. The oldest part is probably from the early 16th century.
After 1800 the building was greatly expanded and the west wing served as a factory building for the Trümpy family. One of the less stately homes, the villa survived the devastating city fire of 1861 in Glarus and is therefore considered worthy of protection. In 1914 the house was called «Villa Freienstein». The site remained the property of the Trumpy heirs until it was sold in 2018.
financing and costs
Right after the purchase in 2018, the family moved into the mansion and left everything the same except for the new furniture and the library.
Fuchs received financial support for her project from her family and her employer, who at the time was a local architecture office. The purchase price of the mansion, including the outbuildings, was about five million francs.
In 2021, a three-story four-deck house with its own roof terrace can be built in the park and sold to families who can afford it at a fraction of the purchase price. The costs are affordable for the Glarner family by renting out the two apartments in the mansion.
shared joy
“It’s nice when you can live and work under one roof,” says Reto Fuchs. But he and his family are particularly pleased that in the middle of the city of Glarus they have created a wonderful community place for them and their new neighbors in the park with the historic estate.
Source : Blick
I am Dawid Malan, a news reporter for 24 Instant News. I specialize in celebrity and entertainment news, writing stories that capture the attention of readers from all walks of life. My work has been featured in some of the world’s leading publications and I am passionate about delivering quality content to my readers.
