If you are looking for a place that seems to have fallen out of this world, Casa Tessino in Italian-speaking Switzerland offers a slow-paced paradise all to yourself. Surrounded by nature, birdsong and rustling leaves. Only at dusk do deer or foxes occasionally visit to roam through the garden of the palm-covered estate. Otherwise, there is great silence and green expanse.
Built in 1879, the stone house is located at an altitude of 550 metres, a fifteen-minute walk (and only on foot!) from Loco – a Ticino mountain village on one of the steep, sunny slopes of the Onsernone Valley, through whose gorges the Isorno river meanders. Where civilisation gives way to dense, jungle-like forest, climate activist, architectural photographer and artist Peter Tillessen has transformed an old, dilapidated stone house into an experimental holiday home that operates entirely without fossil fuels. The energy required is produced by wood from the property’s own forest and photovoltaics on the roof, with any surplus fed into the local grid.
During the renovation, the house was gutted and everything superfluous was removed. Since then, the open roof truss with its exposed historic beams and oversized windows has provided air, light and modern minimalism. All rooms and activities are close together, yet there is still enough space – whether for cooking, eating or contemplating. Guests can sleep either in an adjoining double room, in the double bed on the gallery (with a magnificent view of the countryside) or on the two daybeds in the living room. And on mild days, the covered terrace becomes an extended living space and a favourite place to relax.
Those who desire even more simplicity, solitude and self-sufficiency, just need to walk another 150 metres and climb a few steps. Inspired by Henry David Thoreau’s ‘Walden’, architect Olin Petzold designed a purist tree house that complements the stone house in summer with an additional guest room and studio in the middle of the forest – the Casetta Tessino. As local building regulations did not allow for a foundation, a triangular wooden structure was created that floats above the forest floor and is supported by three trees. An intermediate space, reduced to the essentials: a double bed hidden under wooden panels, a bench and a desk with a view of the valley. The polycarbonate walls provide light, while the canopy of leaves provides shade in summer. When all three facades are open, you sit surrounded by trees, birds and squirrels. A place to observe, reflect and write – very much in the spirit of Thoreau.
The ecological philosophy of the entire ensemble can best be described as ‘high-low’: on the one hand, the artistically revitalised house offers a great deal of comfort with its high-quality materials, private sauna and exclusive forest retreat. At the same time, you have to work for it, whether it’s chopping wood or using the environmentally friendly composting toilet. The entire furnishings have been deliberately reduced to leave as much space as possible for silence. Only a library with regional literature on ornithology and mycology and a guitar provide inspiration and pastimes. For holidays free of unnecessary ballast.
What to do
Hiking through the wild and romantic landscape (e.g. up to the Garina Pass or along the Isorno), swimming: swimming spots on the Isorno (full of ponds, rapids, waterfalls and you are usually completely alone; they are a 20-minute walk from the house), at Lake Maggiore, about 45 minutes away by car, at the Bagni di Craveggia (Italy), nature observation and creative work in the tree house, visit to the baroque church of San Remigio, the Museo Onsernonese or the historic mill in Loco, as well as other cultural offerings in Locarno, Lugano and Bellinzona.
Why we like this house
An inspiring blend of consistent sustainability, conscious reduction and a high-quality atmosphere. Thoreau would certainly have felt very much at home here.
This house is great for
Sustainability enthusiasts, slow travellers and lovers of unusual places, unique architecture and pure nature.
Sustainability
All of the house's energy is generated by wood from its own forest or solar collectors on the roof; fossil fuels are completely avoided. the house has a composting toilet ; Public transport: travelling by public transport is recommended; ten buses run daily between Loco and Locarno.
Details
| Region |
CH – Switzerland, Loco Ticino |
| Name | Casa & Cassetta Tessino |
| Scenery | On the edge of the forest in a secluded location at an altitude of 550 metres, about a ten-minute walk from the small village of Loco. |
| Number of guests | In the house: 4 + 2 (smaller daybeds in the same room with a double bed), in summer: additional double bed in the tree house; max. 6 + 2 |
| Completed | 1879 / 2021 (Casa Tessino)/ 2024 (Tree House) |
| Design | Estelle Ballet & Peter Tillessen (Casa Tessino), Olin Petzold (tree house Casetta) |
| Published | AD Magazine (01/26), Divisare (01/26), wohnrevue (09/25), and many more. |
| Specials | The car must be parked 10 minutes' walk from the house; |
| Architecture | Historical, Modern, Old & new |
| Accomodation | Holiday home |
| Criteria | 1-8 (house/apartment), Dog-friendly, Family, Garden, Hiking, No car needed |
Availability calendar
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3 Comments
Casa Tessino is a place of rare and quiet distinction. Its architecture carries a certain gravitas, yet remains unpretentious, an effortless balance that speaks to both confidence and sensitivity. There is a sense of quality throughout, expressed not in ostentation but in the thoughtful selection of materials and the tactile richness beneath your feet and at your fingertips. Every surface feels considered, every texture intentional.
What further elevates this home beyond its design is the evident care behind it. One senses that it was created by someone who understands not only quality, but life itself, someone who has lived, observed, and distilled those experiences into a space that feels both grounded and refined. There is an intelligence to the way it all comes together, a quiet coherence that makes the house feel deeply human.
Its off-grid, sustainable ethos is not just admirable but meaningful. In a time when such considerations are increasingly vital, Casa Tessino invites you to engage more consciously with your surroundings, to reflect on consumption, to slow down, and to appreciate simplicity in its most elevated form.
Set against a truly breathtaking backdrop, the view is nothing short of dramatic. Yet, rather than overwhelming, it instills a profound sense of calm. There is a stillness here, a rare peace that lingers long after you leave.
Casa Tessino is not simply a place to stay, it is a place to experience, to reflect, and to reconnect with what truly matters.
Wir haben das Casa Tessino Anfang April besucht und haben uns vom ersten Moment an wohl gefühlt. Ein paar Tage in einem Rustiko im Tessin zu verbringen, war einfach traumhaft. Das Haus liegt wunderschön mitten in der Natur – perfekt, um dem Alltag zu entfliehen und richtig abzuschalten. Für Kinder ist es ein Paradies: Es gibt viel Platz zum Spielen, einen tollen Garten und sogar ein Baumhaus.
Das Kochen auf dem Holzofen war ein echtes Highlight und hat dem Ganzen eine besondere, gemütliche Atmosphäre verliehen. Nach einem Tag draussen in der frischen Luft war die Sauna einfach herrlich – Entspannung pur!
Insgesamt absolut empfehlenswert für alle, die Natur, Ruhe und ein bisschen Abenteuer lieben. Wir kommen gerne wieder!
Wir besuchten Ende März das Casa Tessino. Ein wirklich faszinierender Ort, große Stille, obwohl man nur 10–15 Gehminuten unterhalb des Ortes und der Busstation entfernt ist. Peter hat wundervoll mit der Natur und dem Licht gearbeitet. Das Casa Tessino ist stilvoll eingerichtet und in der Küche fanden wir sogar einen Spargelschäler;) Im Haus und rundherum gibt es zahlreiche kleine Orte zum Genießen.
Der Luxus dort ist die Natur und Einfachheit, wer Bequemlichkeit schätzt, der sei gewarnt, dass alles, was mach dort haben möchte, in die Casa Tessino getragen werden muss und Kochen, Heizen und Sauna mit Holz funktioniert . Auch, wer wie wir, noch keine Bio-Toilettenerfahrung hat, gewöhnt sich schnell daran. Und weil mich meine Freunde gefragt haben: Die Dusche ist wunderbar warm.
Ein wirklich magischer Ort. Sehr empfehlenswert.