Casa al Mött

Architectural Alpine Chalet

Autumnal-toned, wood-dominated interiors put a warm, mid-century modern stamp on this two story chalet’s sleek design, but the family-focused retreat’s breathtaking Alpine location is timeless, a panoramic lodge created expressly for slow living.

Rich, grooved wood paneling, vintage fixtures, and geometric lines and room divisions surround an angular, open white hearth at the home’s heart, creating a cozy family living area ideal for rest and relaxation. A modernized new kitchen was created by Studioser Architects, and original bedrooms are tranquil, no-frills, slumber inducing spaces. Surrounded by the dramatic Alpine landscape of the Gotthard Pass area, the chalet stands alone in a pasture, ringed by hushed, evergreen forests and dwarfed by magnificent bald peaks, soaring craggily above tree line. Views from the high-elevation (1400m) home offer a 360-degree, seasonal display, some vistas taking in small villages, others looking out to high-altitude ponds, and all backed by the jagged peaks trademark of Ticino.

AROUND

Located in southern Switzerland’s Ticino region, in a land of high-altitude lakes and sharp Alpine peaks nestled up against Italy, the chalet is set near the small village of Nante, with hiking and outdoor adventuring available at its door. Set in the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland, Ticino offers a taste of the Mediterranean along with its classic, Alpine adventure ambiance. Villages offer palm-lined streets with medieval and Baroque architecture, and classic, red-tiled roofs. Outdoorsy types will find their hiking and mountain climbing nirvana here. Nearby Locarno is reputedly Switzerland’s sunniest community, and towering peaks surround the cobbled village that’s famous for its camellia flowers and its sparkling oasis-like setting on the banks of Lake Maggiore. About a mile from Locarno, the tiny pedestrian village of Ascona hugs the lakeshore that is lined by palms and pleasure boats. Colorfully painted cafes offer expansive views over the lake, where boats can deliver you to the Brissago Islands to visit a subtropical botanical garden that details the region’s unique climate and landscape. 

Bellinzona is Ticino’s capital, and the heritage-rich city has three UNESCO sites (Castelgrande, Castello Montebello and Castello Sasso Corbaro), a produce-rich farmers’ market, and many celebrated restaurants and cafes serving the region’s Italian-inspired gastronomy. Neighboring Lugano occupies a glacial lakefront of the same name, and is known as the region’s most dazzling community, a city rich in culinary and fine arts, with neoclassical architecture and a breathtaking lakeside promenade loop. Lesser known, but much loved by hikers and trekkers, Mendrisio is also home to the region’s vineyards where merlot grapes are grown, including the rare Merlot Bianco. Monte San Giorgio and Monte Generoso are Mendrisio’s favored hiking destinations, and Monte San Giorgio is also a UNESCO World Heritage site for its rich fossil deposits.

LOCATION

Airolo, Ticino, Switzerland. Nearest airport: Lugano, 1 hour

BEST TIME TO VISIT: The house is open from spring to autumn.