Three generations under one roof
In Muri AG, a family had a multigenerational house built – with an individual wellness oasis and a training room of a special kind.
“My family has always dreamed of owning our own home, of being independent from landlords and property management companies,” says the homeowner, who lives with his wife and two children in the three-story main section of the new building. His mother-in-law lives in the 3.5-room apartment on the ground floor. She has always lived close to the family. “We have a very good relationship with my mother-in-law. She helps us a lot with the children, and we also enjoy spending time together,” the homeowner adds. That's why it was clear to him and his family that they wanted to live in a multigenerational home. “The market for multigenerational homes isn't very large. We looked at several existing houses, but they didn't meet our requirements. The apartment was often simply too small,” the homeowner explains, adding that they therefore started looking for building plots to realize their own vision.
Finding a suitable plot of land proved more difficult than expected. The family initially searched for building plots along the Lucerne-Zurich axis – without success. They then decided to gradually expand their search radius until, quite by chance, an acquaintance raved about Muri. "My wife did some research online and then went to the local council office to find out more about the area and the living conditions, and that's where she came across the advertised plots," says the homeowner. One of the plots appealed to the family. It was flat, slightly elevated, and located in an attractive residential area.
In May 2020, the property in question was already owned by the clients. They then began searching for a suitable project partner: "We wanted to work with a general contractor. We find that practical because we only have one contact person who takes care of everything," explains the client. "It was a coincidence – or perhaps a stroke of luck – that we came across Atmoshaus . The Swiss company is based in the region, which we really liked," she adds. She and her family greatly appreciated the collaboration with the architects: "They were always open to our ideas, and if something wasn't feasible, they worked hard to find constructive solutions." The clients and architects had to be patient for a long time before construction could begin: The couple signed the contract with us in May 2020, the building permit was granted in March 2021, and construction actually started in July 2021. "We had to contend with supply bottlenecks, the coronavirus pandemic, and staff shortages – but we used this time to think more about our house, the materials, the furnishings, and much more," the homeowners say, looking back on the past year. The family has been living in their multigenerational home since May 2022.
The family had clear ideas about their new home: the two apartments under the same roof should have ground-level access to the garden. They wanted to maximize the space on a single floor – which ultimately didn't work out: "The permitted floor area ratio wasn't very generous, and there were many special regulations in this area. So the rooms upstairs ended up being smaller than desired, and we had to move two offices, which we would have liked to have on the ground floor, to the basement." A hot tub in the garden and a training room in the basement were also important to them: "We're all passionate golfers, so we wanted an indoor golf practice room." The family was determined that it should be an open, airy, and bright house – something they didn't want to compromise with their choice of shading in the garden. They made sure to choose a shading system that still allowed enough light into the interior: a pergola with high-tech fabric, whose four modules can be individually retracted.
The new building has a simple exterior – with a flat roof, a recessed upper floor, and white plaster. A well-maintained lawn with carefully selected trees and shrubs surrounds the property. A dense hedge provides privacy from the neighboring houses and the adjacent street. From there, one can drive directly into the family's garage, located in front of the utility room. "We would have liked to have a larger garage, one that could also accommodate garden tools and bicycles. Unfortunately, that wasn't permitted," explains the homeowner. The main entrance is on the north side. To the left is the mother-in-law's apartment, which features an open-plan kitchen with a spacious living and dining area, a bedroom with an en-suite bathroom, and a storage room. The apartment door on the right side of the entrance hall opens into the living quarters of the family of four. The staircase in the shared entrance hall leads to the basement, where two offices are located, benefiting from natural light thanks to a light well.
On this level, there is also a storage room, two cellars, the utility room, an indoor golf facility, and a guest bathroom with a shower. Upon entering the homeowners' living area, a hallway leads to the guest bathroom and then directly into the open-plan kitchen, living, and dining area with direct access to the garden. A staircase with a glass balustrade leads to the upper floor. Here are the master bedroom and two children's bedrooms – all south-facing with their own access to the wraparound terrace – as well as two bathrooms.
The interior design is bright, modern, and minimalist. Strategically placed wooden objects and carefully selected lighting serve as accents and contrasting elements. The owners prioritized robust, low-maintenance, and timeless materials. The house isn't quite finished yet, the owner adds in conclusion: "We're planning a photovoltaic system to complement our heat pump and electrical system. I'm glad we don't need any fossil fuels in our house."
Feedback from F. & S., Bottenwil
“We wanted to work with a general contractor. We find that practical because we only have one contact person who takes care of everything. It was by chance – or luck – that we came across Atmoshaus . The Swiss company is based in the region, which we really liked. They were always open to our ideas, and if something wasn't possible, they worked hard to find constructive solutions.”
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