The Shift

A barbecue stands on the left side of the house, a table leans on the wall, chairs are piled up next to gas tanks, as if kept there until their inhabitants come back to enjoy this nature. Not only do those photographs display trailers that have been assembled together or to which a house structure has been attached, but some show trailers that have literally been embedded into houses, as if the house had been built around them (pic. 5 & 6).
There, a proper porch has been built, with stairs to climb on it, curtains hang on the trailer windows, trees have been planted around, wooden sculptures and other objects decorate the house in which the trailers seem to serve as the main living room. It somehow feels that the trailers have mutated into wooden houses.And here and there, scattered between those structures, a simple trailer that has undergone no transformation stands on the slope of the mountain, a stone place behind the wheel blocking it from sliding down (pic.2). No elements come to change its original shape, but its location in this surrounding gives the feeling that its nomadic life has come to an end.These photographs present atypical houses, a mix of elements that create unique places, all exploring, transforming, adapting simple trailers, and creating new spaces but always in a community (pic. 7).

The “Paradiesli” series not only capture sthe unique architecture of trailers and mobile homes found in Switzerland, but also showcases how the architecture has mutated over the years. While they all share a basic architectural code, each trailer is personalized and modified by its owner to reflect their individual needs and preferences.In Switzerland, the use of trailers and mobile homes as permanent housing is a common practice. These trailers can be found in various settings, including campsites, farms, and even urban areas. Trailers are popular due to their mobility, affordability, and low environmental impact. The trailers in this series of photographs all have the common architectural codes of the classical trailers and mobile homes. Indeed, their design is thought to be compact and efficient, while maximizing the interior space and being transportable.Typically, trailers have a rectangular shape, a central door that leads to the living area and windows on either side to provide natural light. But in “Paradiesli”, while the basic design of the trailer is still consistent, they undergo complete structural changes that make them hybrid living structures. When one thinks about trailers, the first elements would be that they are simple and functional and especially mobile and affordable. The uniqueness of the “Paradiesli” trailers stands in their evolution to become more permanent homes, with many features that are usually not linked to trailers.
This mutation in shape creates a kind of hybridization of the trailers, with new features of both traditional homes and mobiles homes. Indeed, the houses structures rising from those trailers feature elements of traditionalSwiss homes, first, through their materiality. This mutation in shape creates a kind of hybridization of the trailers, with new features of both traditional homes and mobiles homes. Indeed, the houses structures rising from those trailers feature elements of traditionalSwiss homes, first, through their materiality.

If the proper material of the trailer does not seem to be altered or modified, the elements that are added to it are essentially made of wood and painted in the classical colour of Swiss cabins. The wood panelling and the pitched roofs come straight from the typical architecture, and the decor around it clearly displays traditional codes.
When incorporated into houses, the trailers seem to be the focal point of the structure, as if the houses had not only been built around it but as if they literally revolved around the trailers as their main structural element. Indeed, the trailers take the most part of the house, giving the feeling that the entire inside space is deployed inside this mobile part of the home rather that in the traditional one.In the photograph where the trailers have not been embedded into house structures, they have been adorned with structural elements that are classically part of houses like decks and porches, outside furniture, grills, and lights. Still, they seem to blend in with their natural surroundings, plants and trees growin g around them or even through them. This gives the trailers a sense of organic growth and evolution, as if they are becoming more integrated with the landscape over time. The evolution of trailers into permanent homes is a relatively recent phenomenon.While trailers have been used for temporary housing for years, mostly for camping or holiday trips, the idea of converting a trailer into a permanent dwelling is a more recent development.As the trend of using trailers as permanent homes has grown, designers and builders have responded with innovative and creative solutions, as states Kaley Overstreet when writing about the transformation of trailer parks and trailers themselves : “these small homes are being reimagined by architects by utilizing more sustainable materials, inventive construction techniques, and value engineering to create affordable homes and reinvent the once negative connotation that surrounded this housing typology.”

Some trailer homes are designed to look and feel like traditional houses, with multiple rooms, modern appliances, and high-end finishes.Others are designed to be more minimalist, with a focus on maximizing space and functionality. Many trailer homes also incorporate sustainable features such as solar panels, composting toilets, and rainwater harvesting systems. The hybridization of those trailers offers several benefits. By combining the best elements of both traditional homes and mobile homes, these structures are often more affordable, unique, more mobile, and more environmentally friendly than traditional homes.They can also be situated in a wider range of locations, even more difficult to reach such as the Swiss mountains.This mutation of architecture offers a unique perspective on how architecture can adapt to meet the changing needs of society.It also highlights the way in which architecture can be a living, evolving thing, shaped not only by the designer but also by the people who inhabit and modify it.

Looking at the “Paradiesli” photographs, one may question the use of the nomadic trailers as the structure for fixed houses. There is a subtle shift from nomadism to sedentary lifestyle captured in those images.While the trailers that are featured prominently in the photographs represent a sense of freedom and mobility, they are parked in remote locations that suggest a temporary or a definite stay. Flumserberg is a famous ski resort, perched in the mountain, where the weather conditions don’t allow movement fora big part of the year. Once those trailers have been setup there, it seems that their mobility is compromised and purposely stopped. One of the main reasons for a nomadic lifestyle is to have a geographical freedom and usually to be close to nature and live in amazing landscapes. Somehow, the Other Swissness seems to be filling all the conditions to settle down. As the series progresses, however, there are more images of permanent structures that hint at a really settled way of life. The structures become larger and more permanent, with additions such as porches, balconies, and even gardens.
In this case, the trailer structure shifts and with it its first purpose. Indeed, trailer structures are typically small, lightweight, and designed to be easily moved from one location to another.By transforming their essence, their nomadic purpose seems to be erased to be adapted to a sedentary lifestyle. The transition from nomadism to sedentary life is clearly illustrated directly in the external structure. It feels that the mobility is rooted into immobility.