The building, enclosed by two crowning gable ends, spans between Kraftstrasse and Gladbachstrasse in the heart of the Fluntern neighborhood in Zurich.

By stepping down at an angle, the centrally placed building nestles into the bent lot, opening up views of the surrounding greenery to its residents through glazed interior corners and intimate, enclosed balconies. The facade is articulated by vertically rendered wall panels that calm the rhythmically dancing polygonal volume. The ceiling crowns on the windows and balconies are clad in Andeer natural stone to emphasize the tectonic layering of the building, which visually unifies the structure and thus ennobles the building with its subtle green hue.

Through the consultation of a Belgian producer, it was possible to have a photovoltaic system manufactured in green specially adapted to the stone hue, in order to combine sustainability with elegance on the roof to create an architecturally coherent overall picture. The two-story, 4.5-room apartments are organized along a compact corridor and open up with flowing spatial and visual connections to the facade and the outdoor space.

The building is finished at the top with a vertically structured copper roof with floor-to-ceiling dormers, under which is realized an overheight continuous apartment with two hemispheres: Towards the east a private sphere with bedrooms and bathrooms, which leads to the open living area facing southwest via a corridor, and to a private roof terrace.

Nikolaus Hamburger

K19, Zurich

Location: Kraftstrasse 19, 8044 Zurich
Residential units: 8 units
Property type: Rental
Apartment sizes: 2.5–5.5 rooms / 46–167 m²
Status: Realized
Occupancy date: 2021
Client: Private
Architecture: HDPF

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