A New Centre in Switzerland

Flims, Switzerland

Photo © René Dürr

Mixed Use

Architects: Baumschlager Eberle Architekten

Location: 7017 Flims, Switzerland
Year: 2019

MISSING LINK

The two hamlets of Flims, Flims-Dorf and Flims-Waldhaus, separated by the steeply cut valley of Val Stenna, were, until recently, only connected by the Stenna Bridge. Now on this exposed yet underutilised space, a multifunctional centre is emerging.
The Stenna Centre has created a new link between the hamlets, all but erasing their earlier separation. The architectural measures employed are distinguished by the clarity of their intervention as well as a restraint in their dimensions. By incorporating the existing bridge into the structure and its multitude of uses, the centre marks the beginning of a new locale in Flims (Switzerland). Three new residential buildings “grip” the grounds, creating an “arena” in fluid contact with the natural environment.
The three storeys of the development of the centre contain cafes, shops, service providers, a restaurant and a hotel. Horizontal “plates” evoke alpine tectonics, while transparency and massiveness, abstraction and implicitness form logical extensions. The massive supporting structure, with point column grids anchored in concrete, enables sustainable and economical development going forward.