Projekt
New Castle Oberdiessbach
The New Oberdiessbach Castle is one of the most important country estates in the Bernese Midlands. Built between 1668 and 1671 by Albrecht von Wattenwyl (1617–1671), a colonel in French service under King Louis XIV, the estate is considered one of the finest examples of French-influenced late Renaissance architecture in the Bern region of Switzerland. Alongside the northern Old Castle from 1546, an ensemble of exceptional architectural clarity and cultural continuity was created.
In 1994, Martine and Sigmund von Wattenwyl took over the castle and have since preserved the historic estate in the twelfth generation of their family. The castle complex is carefully restored and gently maintained – as a living place that does not conserve history but carries it forward.
Among those involved in the construction of the largely unchanged castle was the Neuchâtel maistre architecte Jonas Favre. Particularly striking is the spacious staircase in the central wing, which forms the architectural connection between the building parts and still represents the representative center of the house today.
Projektinformationen
Castle Street 50
CH-3672 Oberdiessbach
2024
Sigmund and Martine von Wattenwyl
Sigmund and Martine von Wattenwyl
CH-Oberdiessbach
Gerber AG Münsingen
CH-Münsingen
Markus Beyeler Architectural Photography
CH-Hinterkappelen
Preserve tradition. Rethink architecture.
For this impressive staircase, Ruckstuhl was commissioned to develop carpet runners that do justice to the historic atmosphere of the house while also meeting the functional requirements of an inhabited castle.
The choice fell on the sisal carpet MANILA in color 40161 Mud. Its classic woven structure naturally integrates into the historic building fabric and gives the rooms a restrained elegance. The sisal fibers, derived from the agave plant, have a fine natural sheen and create a materiality that exudes calm without drawing attention to itself.
Especially in historic staircases, carpet runners serve a dual purpose: they structure spaces atmospherically while also improving acoustics, comfort, and slip resistance. The custom-made product was precisely tailored to the architectural conditions in Ruckstuhl’s in-house tailoring department. Installation and sewing work on site were carried out by Gerber AG in Münsingen.
The project at Oberdiessbach Castle exemplifies how timeless natural materials can respectfully accompany historic architecture. Not as a staging, but as a natural part of a place with history.
As Martine von Wattenwyl says: “Ruckstuhl is a Swiss company that preserves tradition and modernity in a balanced relationship.”
Eingesetztes Produkt
Linen tape 3.5 cm visible 40163 olive green
