An Egyptian Studio Revives a James Bond Landmark in the Swiss Alps
From James Bond lore to alpine restraint, Shahira Fahmy Architects restore Andermatt’s Bergidyll Hotel with a light hand.
Andermatt, tucked into the Swiss Alps, is shaped by its landscape and quiet traditions. Among its buildings, the Bergidyll Hotel stands apart, layered with history and memory. It is perhaps best known as the residence of Sean Connery during the filming of ‘Goldfinger’ (1964), anchoring the hotel firmly within the cinematic legacy of James Bond. Today, Cairo-based studio Shahira Fahmy Architects (SFA) have guided the Bergidyll into a new chapter, one that honours its past while carefully adapting it for the present.
“The project focused on highlighting the hotel’s original character and letting it guide every decision,” Shahira Fahmy tells SceneHome. The restoration of Bergidyll is measured and attentive. The celebrated James Bond room, with its preserved 1960s interior, remains untouched, offering a tangible link to the hotel’s cinematic legacy.
The intervention also addresses contemporary expectations of comfort and efficiency. Infrastructure, building services, and interiors have been selectively upgraded, with materials and detailing chosen to harmonise with the existing structure and the surrounding alpine landscape, creating a continuity that feels effortless.
A new social layer has also been introduced through a ground-floor restaurant serving pizza à discretion, bringing a relaxed, communal energy to the building. “We wanted to create spaces where guests can connect, without disrupting the quiet elegance of the building,” Fahmy says. “Every choice was guided by respect for the hotel’s history and the surrounding alpine environment.” The restaurant extends the life of the Bergidyll beyond accommodation alone, inviting guests and locals alike to linger where architecture and everyday life meet.
