The property is located at the edge of the forest at the foot of a steep hillside. The positioning of the building volume follows the slope, creating a distance from the forest where the shared outdoor and garden areas are situated. The stepped building form tapers in both the floor plan and section, creating a transition to the landscape.
The client, consisting of two families, wanted a view to the north over the city and garden access to the south for both parties. In response to the narrow plot, the central partition wall is the only structural element, apart from the facade, and is shaped in an S-curve. Here, the vertical circulation and sanitary zones are located. Attached to it is the wooden construction that allows both families to adapt the floor plan individually. In total, four apartments are accessed directly from the outside and, due to the hillside location, on different levels. The apartment entrances are marked by small canopies.
The design integrates into the heterogeneous environment of single- and multi-family houses by interlocking two differently sized building volumes. This volumetric interlocking specifically responds to the urban and landscape orientation: Towards the city, the building appears as a residential house with a clearly defined address, while it opens towards the forest as a garden house with an extended roof. This dual expression is also reflected in the formal design: The city-facing facade is aligned with the scale of the surrounding buildings, while the stepped floor plan and section create a flowing transition to the forest’s landscape. The reference to the traditional pitched roof typology of the neighborhood allows for a subtle integration into the area, with the building acting as a prominent endpoint of the private access road.
Above ground, the building consists of a pure timber construction, complemented by a concrete fire wall. The materials remain visible in their natural state—untreated wood and concrete surfaces define the interiors. All roof areas are covered with solar panels.
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house at the forest – IDR 10
Architecture: Zimmer Schmidt
Address: In den Rütenen 10, 8055 Zürich
Client: private
Program: Apartment Building with four units
Size: 2’660 m³
Completion: 2023
Team ZSA: Daniela Zimmer, Tilmann Schmidt, Vladimir Dianiska (PM), Denisa Balaj
Photography: Rasmus Norlander / Zimmer Schmidt
