Rigorous residential architecture defined by proportion, site geometry, and the uncompromising reduction of material noise.
Selected Residential Works
A catalog of single-family residences and alpine dwellings realized through uncompromising structural discipline, monolithic material palettes, and strict programmatic clarity.
Every project constitutes a standalone spatial response to topography, climate envelope, and material permanence. No extraneous ornament is admitted.
Monolithic in-situ concrete massing nestled directly into the sub-alpine slope. Heavy thermal massing with deep recessed openings framing the Rhone Valley.
Charred larch siding juxtaposed against polished basalt floor slabs. A three-tier sequence of cantilevered pavilions mediating urban edge and forest border.
Dry-stacked local gneiss base supporting an ultra-slender blackened steel roof plane. Structural glass walls engineered to withstand extreme high-altitude thermal variation.
Stepped courtyard villa organized around an introverted atrium. Fair-face concrete interior skins paired with unlacquered bronzed fenestration.
Methodology
Every commission is governed by a five-stage operational framework. From initial ground survey to the release of retention, every decision is documented, measured, and rigorously cross-checked against statutory standards.
Stage Duration: 03–05 Wks
3D laser scanning, topography capture, sunlight trajectory study, boundary delineation, and statutory zoning audits.
Stage Duration: 06–08 Wks
Formulation of primary tectonic axes, floor-plan choreographies, structural grid systems, and initial material dialectic.
Stage Duration: 08–12 Wks
Full planning documentation, conservation officer alignment, building regulations submission, and 1:5 facade junctions.
Stage Duration: 04–06 Wks
Exhaustive schedule of works, competitive contractor bidding, material sourcing audit, and execution of JCT contract forms.
Stage Duration: 36–60 Wks
Weekly site presence, strict tolerance inspection, snagging certification, practical completion notice, and building turnover.
We operate on the premise that design distinction and regulatory adherence are not opposing forces. Every project begins with an unyielding assessment of statutory constraints, environmental covenants, and real-time market indices.
By establishing fixed fiscal parameters and clear legal strategies at RIBA Stage 1, we eliminate the need for value-engineering compromises later in the construction sequence.
First-submission approval rate across sensitive Green Belt, Conservation Areas, and Grade II* heritage assets.
Historical variance between final tender contract value and final gross development account.
Scale-model and full-scale material mockups resolved prior to contractor procurement.
We conduct exhaustive pre-application dialogues with local authorities, conservation officers, and statutory consultees. Our applications are built on empirical heritage analyses, daylight-shadow modeling, and contextual justification that preempt objections before they are filed.
Working within listed frameworks requires strict archival research and tactile respect for original material grammar. We marry contemporary structural interventions with original fabric through reversible details, bespoke stone profiling, and documented craft techniques.
We treat cost control as a primary design parameter. Through itemized bills of quantities, independent quantity surveying, and rigorous competitive tendering with vetted main contractors, we protect client capital against mid-build scope creep.
“A residence should endure through structural clarity, legal permanence, and financial sanity. We refuse speculative budgets and untested planning maneuvers. What we document is precisely what we build.”
Dipl. Arch. ETH Zürich / SIA
Leading concept formulation, geometric rigor, and tectonic identity. Felix established Kessler Vaan following twelve years of institutional practice in Basel and London, focusing on monolithic concrete structural assemblies and strict contextual restraint.
M.Arch AA London / RIBA / ARB
Overseeing technical execution, high-performance building envelopes, and urban planning compliance. Elena directs the practice’s material laboratory and interfaces directly with municipal authorities on complex conservation and green-belt developments.
Dipl.-Ing. TU Munich / CEng
Directing on-site fabrication oversight, structural engineering coordination, and procurement tolerances. Marcus coordinates our specialized timber jointing, cast-in-place monolithic concrete schedules, and contractor compliance audits.
We accept a strictly limited number of residential commissions each calendar year. Every project receives the direct oversight of a partner from site acquisition through physical handover.
All submitted site parameters and briefs are handled under rigorous professional confidentiality. Initial site appraisals are scheduled upon preliminary brief review.