The Zündhölzliareal is a magical place: characterized by its special location on the foothills of the Eggenförli and by the torrent, the historic buildings, the wonderful tree population and the enchanted atmosphere. The new buildings follow the self-evident building placement along the two paths as well as the topography sloping down to the river bend, thus enabling a simple and intuitively understandable address formation. The three open spaces Wildbach, Ziergarten and Quartiermitte already show the great variety in the smallest space:
With the almost village-like neighborhood center including a community room, a compact communal space is created in the center of the overall complex. The slope foot to the open landscape to the west remains undeveloped, the special tree population remains and is supplemented. The more austere historic ornamental garden with the grotto is restored and forms the third defining open space.
These three open spaces, together with the buildings, the paths and the watercourse, generate both a high atmospheric density and they specific intrinsic logic of the site. The project explores this peculiarity, its structure and magic, follows it, continues it and enriches it.
According to the program, the buildings are divided into three typological categories: “Flex”, “Unique” and “Garden”. They differ in terms of room disposition and size, rental segment and housing ideal, material and construction, comfort and standard. Together they are the material framework for a diverse range of offers, social depth and atmospheric density.
For environmental sustainability reasons, as much tree and building fabric as possible should be preserved and maintained. In addition, if necessary, young trees should be transplanted in the. The area can thus be understood as an ark, its existing resources form the basis of its future. This concerns not only the man-made or grown substance, but also the warm soil (earth probes) and the Solar power (sloping solar roofs on the south sides of the garden houses) are used – thus technically extending the idea of local connection. The new buildings are designed in timber construction – not only for atmospheric reasons, but also out of an interest in sensible construction principles, careful use of materials and economy of (architectural) means.
