ArchShowcase Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Senior Housing Flats “im Weingarten”, Rüschlikon in Switzerland by Horváth PabloNovember 28th, 2019 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: Horváth Pablo Located right next to the railway line in Rüschlikon, the two precisely placed struc-tures echo the linearity of the site and, at the same time, fit into the neighbour-hood’s open building pattern. The buildings’ positioning creates two generous exterior spaces that satisfy with their differing but high level of amenity. On the ground floor, the site borders on the railway line via a greened pergola establish-ing the important link to Lake Zurich. In contrast to the public lakeside area from where the building is accessed, the courtyard is a place of calm and togetherness. Herbaceous borders, richly flowering shrubs and geophytes have been loosely planted, lest the privacy of ground-floor flats be invaded by the other occupants. The remarkable arrangement and combination of plants lends this garden space a special touch – rich in structure, seasonal blooming sequence, and homogenous patches as well as single accents here and there. To someone looking down from the upper floors, the garden presents itself as a soothing oasis.
The central seating area with the fountain and the rose-covered trellis beckons lingering, together or in seclusion – in the shade or in the sun. The roofs are also greened with a rich and structured selection of plants. The apartments are accessed from the east side via two central access towers and the adjacent access gallery. Here, recesses in the buildings’ perimeter form entrance areas to the apartments. The possibility to customize these spaces cre-ates individual addresses instead of mere house numbers. The seats and the orientation of the kitchens towards Lake Zurich lend these areas a communicative character, encouraging neighbourly relations. Each apartment is organized ac-cording to the open-plan concept with a west-east orientation. The balconies have been integrated into the volume of the buildings, extending the living rooms. Each bedroom is also oriented towards the courtyard. The barrier-free organization of the floor plans results in enclosed areas inside the apartments that can be cosily and age-appropriately furnished. The spatial continuum inside the 21 apartments ensures a generous-appearing openness of the rooms. The buildings are massively constructed with self-supporting exposed brickwork which can, for example, also be found in the Town Library Rüschlikon, along the railway tracks or in old villa districts in the wider vicinity. The floors and the ceilings of the access galleries and the towers are made of exposed concrete and are extended around the buildings’ perimeter in the form of ledges. Prefabricated elements made of oak wood structure the building by means of their repetitive use throughout both build-ings. In the entrance area, the lining with wood elements and the built-in seating cre-ate a pleasantly homely atmosphere. Contact Horváth Pablo
Tags: Rüschlikon, Switzerland Categories: Apartments, Flats, House, Housing Development, Residential |