The New Residence at the Swiss Embassy in Washington D.C. by Steven Holl Architects & Rüssli Architekten

Article source: Steven Holl Architects

This scheme placed first in the competition of ten Swiss-American team’s designs for the replacement of the Washington D.C. residence of the Swiss Ambassador. It is not only to be a private house but also a cultural gathering place on which standards and self-image of a country are measured.

Image Courtesy © Andy Ryan

• Architects: Steven Holl Architects & Rüssli Architekten
• Project: The New Residence at the Swiss Embassy
• Location: Washington D.C., United States
• Photography: Andy Ryan
• Client: Swiss Federal Office for Buildings and Logistics (BBL)
• Architects:
  • Steven Holl Architects: Steven Holl (design architect), Tim Bade, Stephen O’Dell (associate in charge), Olaf Schmidt (project architect), Arnault Biou, Peter Englaender, Annette Goderbauer, Li Hu, Irene Vogt (project team)
  • Rüssli Architekten: Mimi Kueh (project architect), Justin Rüssli (design architect), Andreas Gervasi, Phillip Röösli, Rafael Schnyder, Urs Zuercher(project team)
• Structural engineer: A. F. & J. Steffen Consulting Engineers, Robert Silman Associates
• Mechanical engineer: B2E Consulting Engineers, B+B Energietechnik AG
• Interior designer: ZedNetwork Hannes Wettstein
• General contractor: James G. Davis Construction, Niersberger Gebäudetechnik Pforzheim GmbH
• Landscape architect: Robert GissingerL
• Building area (square): 23,000sf/7010sm
• Cost: $14,000,000
• Construction period: December 2004 – September 2006

Image Courtesy © Andy Ryan

Sited on a hill with a direct view through the trees to the Washington monument in the distance, a diagonal line of overlapping spaces drawn through a cruciform courtyard plan was the conceptual starting point. Official arrival spaces and ceremony spaces are connected along this diagonal line on the first level, while private living quarter functions are on the floor above.

Image Courtesy © Andy Ryan

Image Courtesy © Andy Ryan

Materials are charcoal integral color concrete trimmed in local slate and sand-blasted structural glass planks. Constructed according to Swiss ‘Minergie Standard’, the south facades use passive solar energy. The roof is a ‘sedum’ green roof with PVC panels.

Image Courtesy © Andy Ryan

Image Courtesy © Andy Ryan

The existing natural landscape will be clarified with new walkways and trees, while the plateau of the residence defines an arrival square: a reception courtyard and an herb garden with sub-floor wiring flexibilities.

Image Courtesy © Andy Ryan

Image Courtesy © Andy Ryan

About Steven Holl Architects

Founded in New York in 1976, Steven Holl Architects has offices in New York and Beijing with a staff of 35. The firm has been recognized internationally with numerous awards, and the work has been widely published and exhibited. In 2005 Steven Holl Architects completed several projects including two private residences, Higgins Hall Center Section at the Pratt Institute (Brooklyn, NY), the Whitney Water Purification Facility and Park (Southern Connecticut) and Loisium Wine Visitor Center, Hotel and Spa (Langenlois, Austria).Recently Steven Holl Architects won fives international design competitions: Herning Center of the Arts (Denmark), Cité du Surf et de l’Océan (Biarritz, France), Sail Hybrid (Knokke-Heist, Belgium), Denver Justice Center (Denver, Colorado, USA), and Meander (Helsinki, Finland). Currently under construction are the Linked Hybrid (Beijing, China) and the Art and Architecture Museum (Nanjing, China). The School of Art and Art History at the University of Iowa (Iowa City, IA) will open Sept 8, 2006. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art addition (Kansas City, MO) will be completed and open to the public in June 2007.

Image Courtesy © Andy Ryan

Image Courtesy © Andy Ryan

Image Courtesy © Andy Ryan

Image Courtesy © Andy Ryan

Image Courtesy © Andy Ryan

Image Courtesy © Andy Ryan

Image Courtesy © Andy Ryan

Image Courtesy © Steven Holl Architects & Rüssli Architekten

Image Courtesy © Steven Holl Architects & Rüssli Architekten

Image Courtesy © Steven Holl Architects & Rüssli Architekten

Image Courtesy © Steven Holl Architects & Rüssli Architekten

Image Courtesy © Steven Holl Architects & Rüssli Architekten

Image Courtesy © Steven Holl Architects & Rüssli Architekten

Image Courtesy © Steven Holl Architects & Rüssli Architekten

Tags: USA, Washington D.C

Categories: Cultural Center, Living Area, Mixed use, Private House, private residence, Residential

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