The building, curved at the top, presents itself defensively towards the street with a solid base, which rounds off towards the tip of the site as a reaction to the fast-moving street. From the same logic, the openings on the first floor are articulated and structured. The stairwells break through the facade with a circular window and are thus pinpointed. The retailer receives a clearly framed shop window and the public garage entrance is made legible inside the building by a strong color gesture emerging from the motion.
Above it, set off by the caesura of a strong cornice, behind a beige vertical grooved plaster, is the residential building. The units on the street side bear narrower floor-to-ceiling windows and small balconies towards the north to accommodate the complex noise requirements and are pierced through to the communal courtyard, where they open towards the south via apartment-wide balconies. The elevation of the courtyard creates a family space at the heart of the complex with a humane scale that completely removes the heaviness of the building.
Location: Birmensdorferstrasse 313–317, 8055 Zurich
Residential units: 70 units
Property type: Rental
Apartment sizes: 1.5–4.5 rooms / 49–121 m²
Status: Under construction
Occupancy date: 2024
Client: Wonneberg AG
Architecture: HDPF