Zurich, 2011–2015
Competition, 2011, 1. Prize
The Guggach residential development lies on the saddle between the Zurichberg and Käferberg hills, at the urban juncture between downtown Zurich and the northern part of the city. This central urban location is thematized by concentrating the building mass into two meandering rows of seven and eight stories respectively, which span between forest and road. The project emphasizes its urban character through its architectural expression and the design of the exterior space.
Seen against the background of the ascending forest edge, the back-painted, darkly colored cast glass facades convey artificial qualities that simultaneously alternate between weightiness and dematerialization. The exterior space is dominated by expansive water surfaces that subsume the facades into the exterior space through reflection.
In plan, the dwelling units are based on a cruciform shape that expands the north-south orientation of the building form to become omnidirectional, allowing both morning and evening light to enter the living space. The plan, the development and choice of materials for the facades, and the design of the exterior spaces all combine to create a high degree of coherence between urban design, housing form, and architectural expression.
Competition team
Peter Baumberger, Karin Stegmeier, Ron Edelaar, Elli Mosayebi, Christian Inderbitzin, Andrea Grolimund, Luca Pestalozzi, Michael Brotzer, Lorenz Mörikofer
Project team
Peter Baumberger, Karin Stegmeier, Ron Edelaar, Elli Mosayebi, Christian Inderbitzin, Michael Reiterer, Andrea Grolimund, Kevin Dröscher, Désirée Flury, Celestin Rohner, Franziska Maria Singer, Manuel Burkhardt, Mathis Keller, Julia Werlberger, Julian Fischer, Heghine Berkowitsch, Jens Nehring, Julia Neubauer, Dominique Kühnhanss, Manuel Gulcz, Michele Schweri, Michael Brotzer, Lukas Gschweitl
Collaboration
Baumberger Stegmeier Architektur (BS+EMI Architektenpartner AG)
Client
Allreal Generalunternehmung AG, Zurich
Developer: Allreal Generalunternehmung AG, Zurich
Landscape Architect: Blau und Gelb Landschaftsarchitekten HTL, Rapperswil
Civil Engineer: wlw Bauingenieure AG, Zurich
Building Services: Planungsbüro Roman Böni GmbH, Oberentfelden
Electrical Engineer: Schäfer Partner AG, Lenzburg
Building Physics: MIchael Wichser + Partner AG, Dübendorf
Photographs
Roland Bernath
Publication
Architekturführer Zürich, DOM publishers 2022
Contextes. Le logement contemporain en situation, EPFL PRESS 2021
Architekturführer Zürich, Edition Hochparterre 2020
Zürcher Wohnungsbau 1995–2015, Quart Verlag 2017
BlickPunkt, 2/2016
Modulor, 1/2012
www.tagesanzeiger.ch, 17.1.2012
www.tagesanzeiger.ch, 29.6.2010
Auszeichnung
best architects 17