An Uetikon house embraces minimalism, light, and its Swiss lake views
This Uetikon home by Pablo Pérez Palacios Arquitectos Asociados (PPAA) sets itself apart from traditional Swiss housing, with a contemporary design that connects with nature

This Uetikon residence sets itself apart from traditional Swiss housing. Designed by Mexican studio Pablo Pérez Palacios Arquitectos Asociados (PPAA), it was conceived to contemplate nature from every angle, its windows framing the extensive views. At the same time, the thoroughly contemporary home is a nod to minimalist architecture, its simple, cubic volumes inviting light into the building through large windows that look out towards the surrounding Lake Zurich vistas.
Explore Uetikon residence by PPAA
The residence is set amid trees and neighbouring homes in sparsely built plots, and blends into its green context with two volumes that link together while taking in the panoramic views of the surrounding nature.
PPAA was founded in 2018 by Pablo Pérez Palacios. The architecture studio, based in Mexico City, made sure that this project gets 'lost' in its surroundings, remaining discreet, with clean lines and a pared-down interior design.
The façade blends two key materials, crisp concrete and warm, light-coloured wood. Its contemporary shapes feature various openings that enhance natural light inside and make the most of the site's slope and location.
The communal spaces (the living room, dining room and kitchen) are open plan, drawing the residents' eye outwards, towards the natural scenery. The lake was the main inspiration for the home, and the water element is referenced in a mirror pool feature in the garden.
Inside, light bounces off white walls, creating optical illusions and blurring the lines between the indoors and the surrounding landscape. Meanwhile, the bedrooms are strategically positioned to lap up the lakeside views, and to connect with nature.
The house ‘takes advantage of its topography and offers breathtaking sightlines of the surroundings and most specifically of the lake. Its design maximises the views and creates a seamless connection with nature,' writes Pérez Palacios (who worked on the project with local architects Orus as the main contractors).
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Focusing on the surrounding context is a trademark for PPAA, and an approach they previously demonstrated with Echegaray, a minimalist Mexican home that drew on its rocky terrain. The Uetikon house is PPAA’s first residential project in Europe, and no doubt, the first of many to come.
Tianna Williams is Wallpaper*s staff writer. Before joining the team in 2023, she contributed to BBC Wales, SurfGirl Magazine, Parisian Vibe, The Rakish Gent, and Country Life, with work spanning from social media content creation to editorial. When she isn’t writing extensively across varying content pillars ranging from design, and architecture to travel, and art, she also helps put together the daily newsletter. She enjoys speaking to emerging artists, designers, and architects, writing about gorgeously designed houses and restaurants, and day-dreaming about her next travel destination.
-
These are the best new interior design projects in Australia
From a beachside retreat to a modern butcher shop, the 2025 Australian Interior Design Awards highlight the multitude talent down under
-
Scotland's most opulent passenger train just got even more lavish
To mark four decades connecting stops across the majestic highlands, Belmond’s Royal Scotsman has revealed even more plush sleeping cars
-
‘Designers are far more than just producers of commercial goods’: Samuel Ross on the London Design Biennale
The artistic director of the major event and founder of A-COLD-WALL* discusses the role of a designer and the future of the sector in an exclusive interview
-
Audrey Hepburn’s stunning Swiss country home could be yours
Audrey Hepburn’s La Paisable house in the tranquil village of Tolochenaz is for sale
-
Meet Lisbeth Sachs, the lesser known Swiss modernist architect
Pioneering Lisbeth Sachs is the Swiss architect behind the inspiration for creative collective Annexe’s reimagining of the Swiss pavilion for the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025
-
A contemporary Swiss chalet combines tradition and modernity, all with a breathtaking view
A modern take on the classic chalet in Switzerland, designed by Montalba Architects, mixes local craft with classic midcentury pieces in a refined design inside and out
-
Herzog & de Meuron’s Children’s Hospital in Zurich is a ‘miniature city’
Herzog & de Meuron’s Children’s Hospital in Zurich aims to offer a case study in forward-thinking, contemporary architecture for healthcare
-
Step inside La Tulipe, a flower-shaped brutalist beauty by Jack Vicajee Bertoli in Geneva
Sprouting from the ground, nicknamed La Tulipe, the Fondation Pour Recherches Médicales building by Jack Vicajee Bertoli is undergoing a two-phase renovation, under the guidance of Geneva architects Meier + Associé
-
Christian de Portzamparc’s Dior Geneva flagship store dazzles and flows
Dior’s Geneva flagship by French architect Christian de Portzamparc has a brand new, wavy façade that references the fashion designer's original processes using curves, cuts and light
-
CERN Science Gateway: behind the scenes at Renzo Piano’s campus in Geneva
CERN Science Gateway by Renzo Piano Building Workshop announces opening date in Switzerland, heralding a new era for groundbreaking innovation
-
Herzog & de Meuron’s SIP Main Campus weaves together nature and sculptural concrete
SIP Main Campus, a new workspace by Herzog & de Meuron, completes on the Swiss-French border