Located near the town of Cologny, this home is designed for a family of entrepreneurs and creatives whose home is the center of their family, work, and social life, and is thoughtfully optimized for reduced energy consumption and built with sustainable practices.

Nestled into a hillside, the house looks southwest over Lake Geneva and a mountain backdrop. The very long and steep property is entered from the lowest point, so we distributed the program to take full advantage of the site’s shape and aspect.

We designed an entry experience with a colonnade providing a dramatic entry and initiating a promenade through the southwest facing gardens. The colonnade frames the family lawn and passes alongside a spa, gym, and guest room en route to a large swimming pool and outdoor living space that overlooks Lake Geneva.

The main building is composed of two wings that frame the garden and lake views. We have protected a large, mature Lebanese Cedar whose majestic branches frame the view from the outdoor dining area to the garden and lake beyond. 

The private level of the home is constructed and clad in wood, sourced from sustainable forests. This upper level connects to a private landscaped courtyard and artist’s atelier where its position at the top of the site offers tranquil privacy while also providing discrete surveillance over the house and gardens.

By building with the natural topography of the site, we discovered interesting spatial relationships that provide connection and views through the home that are in dialogue with the site, the landscape, and the lake. The U-shape plan overcomes the restrictions of a long and narrow site, accommodating the challenging program brief, and enhancing the natural features of the site, while creating generous views back across the lake.