ETH Science City student residence, competition 2012
ETH 398 Science City Students Housing uses the building site on the southern edge of the Hönggerberg as a lively interplay of "inside-outside", public, semi-public and private zones. The range of housing types on offer meets the need for different forms of student living and working as well as social interaction, communal facilities and individual retreats. The type of the dissolved block as a 6 - 7-storey structure respects the approaches of the master plan with its variably conceived redensification of the previously very heterogeneous quarter. The design aims for sustainability in all areas instead of superficial, spectacular design. Its sophistication is reflected in the spatial quality and the conceptual integration of three outdoor and three indoor courtyards, which differ and complement each other thematically and atmospherically in a stimulating way. Thus, our focus is on the essential requirement for an inspiring coexistence of almost 400 students of the elite ETH university.
Essential complementary facilities such as a day care center and supermarket on the first floor support this demand for a diverse range of services. The "communication" leitmotif is expressed through architectural means. As a design instrument, we make use of the subtraction of parts from the block / body with the aim of achieving a compositional balance, whereby this approach uses the subtle use of color nuances as a further design tool in the sense of an ambivalence of the exterior spaces with their limiting facades as "negative volumes". In this way, the cubature is read not only through the sub-structures, but also through the courtyards (subtraction / addition). The type of building structure can be clearly assigned to the residential sector; unity and diversity in the decision to use only a few window types and sizes are aimed at cost savings and efficiency.
ETH 398 Science City Students Housing, Zurich, Competition 2012
ETH 398 Science City Students Housing uses the building site on the southern edge of the Hönggerberg as a living interaction between interior and exterior, public, semi-public and private zones. The range of residential models on offer corresponds to the requirements of different student living and working forms as well as the social exchange, community institutions and individual possibilities of retreat. The type of the resolved block as 6-7-storey building respects the approaches of the master-plan with its pixeltype variably intended densification of the as yet heterogeneous quarter.
The design aims at sustainability in all areas instead of superficiality and spectacle. Its sophistication can be seen in the spatial quality and the conceptual integration of the three inner and three outer courtyards, which contrast with and complement each other thematically and atmospherically in a most inspiring way. This draws our focus to the essential demand for an inspiring cohabitation of nearly 400 students in the spirit of the elite high school ETH.
Important supplementary institutions such as a day nursery and a supermarket on the ground floor support this demand for a diverse range of facilities. Attempts are often made to use architecture to give expression to "communication" as a substantive leitmotif. As design instrument, we use subtraction of parts from the block/body with the aim of a compositional equilibrium, whereby this approach highlights the exteriors with their boundary façades as "negative volumes" by the discreet use of color nuances as a further design method in the sense of ambivalence. Thus the cubature is interpreted not only via the outbuildings but also the courtyards (subtraction/addition). The building type is quite clearly residential; uniformity and diversity in the decision for fewer window types and sizes aim at costsaving and efficiency.