In the snowy quietude of Gstaad, Switzerland, a new architectural landmark has emerged—one that doesn’t just settle into its alpine environment but boldly bridges worlds. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning Burkinabe architect Diébédo Francis Kéré, in collaboration with creative director Nachson Mimran, this private residence is more than a home. It is a masterstroke of cultural fusion, material intelligence, and spatial poetry—woven together by one of Africa’s most celebrated architects.
Best known for his work rooted in community-led, sustainable design across West Africa, Kéré’s approach in Gstaad marks a thoughtful expansion of his architectural language. Here, he embraces Swiss precision and Alpine tradition while steadfastly centering African design philosophies, techniques, and storytelling. The result is a residence that does not merely contain dualities—it exalts them.
An African Sensibility Amid Swiss Mountains
From the very conception of the project, Kéré set out to manifest a dialogue between African and Swiss cultures—not through superficial symbols but through deep, architectural empathy.
“We used modest materials to create a home that really works as a meeting point between cultures: aesthetically, and practically,” Kéré shared.
His strategy? Root the home in ecological and cultural specificity, then infuse it with human warmth—through texture, colour, and craft. This architectural vision translates across the complex, which comprises two neighbouring chalets with steeply pitched roofs in deference to their alpine surroundings. But look closer, and you find the African hand: intricate carvings, natural materials, and bold, artistic expressions that resonate with the cultural legacies of the continent.
The Spa: Kéré’s Ode to Nature and Ritual
At the heart of the residence lies a truly arresting feature—a bamboo-canopied spa that reveals Kéré’s masterful command of material and atmosphere. The ceiling, composed of nearly 10,000 bamboo tubes, cascades in a wave-like rhythm, punctuated by a skylight that ushers in natural light.
Kéré calls it a space that evokes “the feeling of bathing in a cave,” and indeed, the design merges the primal intimacy of water rituals with the quiet grandeur of nature. The bamboo is not merely decorative—it is performative, regulating acoustics and drawing the eye upward in a spatial crescendo that recalls sacred architecture.
In this space, Kéré articulates what he has long advocated: architecture as an experience that heightens our senses, anchors us in place, and connects us to something greater—be it nature, memory, or one another.
Collaborative Craftsmanship Guided by Kéré’s Vision
Though the project saw input from a constellation of creatives—including Muza Lab for interiors, Chaletbau Matti for the Swiss-style shell, and dozens of African artists—Kéré’s touch remains the defining presence.
From the organically sculpted fireplaces and liquid metal staircases to the use of rammed earth, straw, and hemp as alternatives to concrete, the home stands as a beacon of environmental integrity and craft-led innovation.
Rather than impose a singular aesthetic, Kéré guided a democratic design process, one that allowed the work of African artists like Esther Mahlangu, Yinka Ilori, Porky Hefer, Aïssa Dione, and Nifemi Marcus-Bello to flourish within the architectural frame. His interventions provide the structure and rhythm—walls, thresholds, transitions—upon which the artworks sing.
A Home as Cultural Manifesto
Kéré’s architectural approach has always been deeply humanistic, grounded in community, storytelling, and sustainability. In Gstaad, those values evolve—not diluted, but expanded. This is not a transplantation of African forms onto a European landscape; it is a symphony of cultural exchange, composed and conducted with architectural rigour.
The house is not only a private residence—it is a living museum, a design manifesto, and a civic gesture in its own right. It challenges the idea of what luxury looks like by prioritizing natural tactility, thermal comfort, and cross-cultural respect over ostentation.
Kéré’s Legacy in a Global Context
Francis Kéré is no stranger to building architecture that moves people—his work in Burkina Faso, Kenya, and Germany has long demonstrated his talent for imbuing structures with soul. But with this Gstaad residence, he brings that same ethos to a setting far from his homeland, proving that African architectural philosophies are not bound by geography—they are globally resonant.
In an age of superficial hybridity, Kéré shows what real cultural synthesis can look like: honest, grounded, and breathtakingly beautiful.
Photography by Mark Williams and Cecil Mathieu
Location: Gstaad, Switzerland
Architect: Diébédo Francis Kéré
Creative Direction: Nachson Mimran
Interior Design: Muza Lab
Collaborators: Esther Mahlangu, Yinka Ilori, Nifemi Marcus-Bello, Aïssa Dione, Porky Hefer, Alexander Lamont, Rashid Johnson, and others.
