The well-preserved historic center of Münchenwiler village near the little medieval town of Murten is listed in the Federal Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites of national importance. The listed building used to be part of the well-known Münchenwiler Castle Estate. It houses the largest barn the Canton of Bern of its time.
© Roland Bernath
Seven apartments of different sizes were built into the mighty, emptied barn structure in compliance with historic preservation standards. The new volume inserted into the existing shell is virtually detached from the protected structure, with only a few connection points between them.
© Roland Bernath
The functional versatility of the former farm building is reflected in the typology of the new apartments: They are arranged in vertical order and separated from each other by brick firewalls. The cross-walls of the attached three-story apartments are arranged according to the spacing of the horizontal roof trusses and the heights of the purlins of the existing wooden frame.
© Roland Bernath
© Roland Bernath
Project Info
Architects: bernath+widmer
Year: 2018
Country: Murten, Switzerland
Photographs: Roland Bernath
Landscape: Andreas Geser Landschaftsarchitekten AG
Design Team: Roland Bernath, Fabian Heer, Kylie Russnaik, Benjamin Widmer
Engineering: Indermühle Bauingenieure
Sophie Tremblay is a Montreal-based architectural editor and designer with a focus on sustainable urban development. A McGill University architecture graduate, she began her career in adaptive reuse, blending modern design with historical structures. As a Project Editor at Arch2O, she curates stories that connect traditional practice with forward-thinking design. Her writing highlights architecture's role in community engagement and social impact. Sophie has contributed to Canadian Architect and continues to collaborate with local studios on community-driven projects throughout Quebec, maintaining a hands-on approach that informs both her design sensibility and editorial perspective.