Staehelin Meyer Architekten . photos: © Staehelin Meyer
The main theme of the design is the juxtaposition of free-standing, sharp edged structures and lush vegetation, as found on site and in the neighbourhood. The positioning of the polygonal buildings at an angle to one another and on different levels opens up a shared, park-like outside space. Each unit enjoys varied views of the greenery, which envelopes both the buildings. Winding pathways lead up to buildings like trails through the high grass that also encloses the verandas.
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In order to preserve the buildings’ cube-like appearance and to stay on scale regarding the surroundings, it was decided to go without the penthouses. Instead, additional living space was created on the ground floor – large skylights in the hillside illuminate subterranean rooms and provide views of nature and the sky.
In the centre of the buildings there is a load-bearing core with the elevator and stairwell, onto which the functional rooms of the apartments are docked. To the outside, the living quarters are arranged sequentially along the facade.
Due to separate vertical connections between the rooms under and above ground, the units have the characteristics of single-family homes. This impression is furthered by the private outside spaces: ground floor units have verandas situated in front of the loggias, those on the upper floors have roof gardens. Because of the varying room heights on the floor below, these are slightly sunken and are contained by the building.
The buildings are characterised by a choice of untreated, high-quality materials. Oak wood, concrete, polished cast floors and varnished plasterwork boost the spaces’ identity, showing the building materials without their typical cosmetic finish.
