A Swiss Chapel Reborn as a Modern Guesthouse with Sacred Touches
A deconsecrated 18th-century chapel in Zinal, Switzerland, has been transformed into a striking guesthouse. Swiss architect Antoine Simonin led the project, blending historic charm with modern design. The result is a compact yet inventive space that preserves the building’s original character while adding contemporary touches.
The Chapel of Saint Sébastien, located in Val d'Anniviers, Canton Valais, was reimagined by Studio Asaï in 2018. The conversion kept key features like the bell tower, stained-glass windows, and niches—now used to display decorative items. These elements ground the design in its religious past while serving a new purpose.
The interior follows a simple layout. The ground floor holds a living room and kitchen, with a green island acting as a bold focal point. Upstairs, a bedroom and bathroom occupy the space, the latter featuring a spiritual blue tone. Religious symbolism appears in unexpected places. The kitchen sink mimics a holy water font, while the shower glows with a soft blue light, evoking a sense of purity. Materials like Lucerne stone, reclaimed larch wood, stainless steel, and pewter reinforce the region’s traditional aesthetic. Despite its small size, the guesthouse plays with light and space to create moments of surprise. The design maintains a mysterious atmosphere, inviting visitors to uncover its story layer by layer.
The guesthouse now stands as a blend of history and modernity. Its thoughtful details—from symbolic fixtures to locally sourced materials—honour the chapel’s origins while offering a unique retreat. The project demonstrates how heritage buildings can find new life through careful adaptation.
