Blumenhaus is located in the Escher-Wyss district of Zürich–a 'rough' area of the city and one of the most urban spaces in Switzerland. When juxtaposed against the backdrop of Zürich's center, relics from the city’s industrial past characterize this neighborhood. Steps away from the Hardbrücke transit station; the area is currently being redeveloped to incorporate extensive residential units, alongside more commercial spaces, such as restaurants and cafés. Reflecting the project's immediate surrounding, its raw matte-aluminum façade is accentuated by cutouts and reliefs, shielding the interior from this ‘rough’ exterior condition. The silhouettes of this ornamentation playfully recalls those of poppy flowers. The ground floor façade has been kept free on three sides, which maximizes street-facing frontage, and ensures the ground and first floors remain flexible–anticipating accommodation needs of future offices and retail. The building is thus approached from numerous angles: through its parking garage and its gated north and south entries, for residents, and through its retail spaces. Numerous cloverleaf columns are found throughout the interior, echoing exterior ornament, while a concrete staircase spirals throughout the lobby. The top five floors all contain apartments, all of which are oriented in at least two directions; with either a north-south orientation, or with an exposed corner–with most living spaces situated along the southern façade. Loggias wrap the three free façades, functioning as balconies, while floor to ceiling glazing with oversized opening elements prelude exterior spaces, to allow for 'loggia living'.

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Address
Schiffbaustrasse 7
8005 Zürich
Switzerland

Program
Housing, Retail 

Size
4.500 m2

Date of design
2011-2014

Date of completion
Spring 2016

Project team
Wiel Arets, Alexis Bikos, Tieme Zwartbol

Collaborators
Dunja Nedjar, Aline Amore, Boris Wolf, Felix Thies, Marcos Romero, Jelle Homburg

Client
Allreal West AG

Consultants
Eichenberger AG, Gruenberg+Partner AG, BB & A Buri Bauphysik & Akustik AG, Gutknecht Elektroplanung AG, Hager Partner AG