MYNT MERANO ROOMS | DEAR studio

For decades, the upper floors of the historic house remained empty and uninhabitable. The existing structures were carefully removed and replaced with new exposed-concrete slabs, retaining the texture of the OSB formwork as a visible trace of the construction process.

The intervention creates five holiday apartments, each responding to different spatial needs and ways of living. At the centre of the project, the courtyard becomes the primary spatial and atmospheric element. It brings natural light deep into the building, establishes a shared point of reference between the apartments, and frames views towards the surrounding mountains.

Floor-to-ceiling glazing on three sides enhances the sense of openness and lightness. A double-layer curtain system allows the spaces to shift between transparency and privacy while providing complete blackout when required. Within each apartment, a distinct mint-green volume contains functional elements while simultaneously defining and organising the surrounding space.

The top floor is conceived as a bright, double-height loft with a dual orientation. Tall arched windows reinterpret the arcades found on the floors below, establishing a dialogue between the historic character of the building and the new intervention. They open onto a generous terrace overlooking the city and the surrounding mountain landscape.

The project seeks to extend the life of the existing building through a clear contemporary intervention, preserving its spatial character while introducing new forms, materials and ways of inhabiting it.