Escherpark Building, Zurich
Architect: E2A
Year: 2015
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Category: Residential / Housing
Status: Built
About
This complex of apartment blocks in the heart of Zurich replaces a settlement from the 1940s and is presented as an alternative to the conventional typology of isolated buildings that do little to generate an urban scheme, in contrast with their immediate surroundings. As a consequence, the domestic program is compacted into a sequence of small towers aligned with the streets to produce a continuous external image, but in a way that does not renounce spatial openings and rich orientations that make it possible to place pieces around freely in the large site colonized by abundant vegetation and a network of pedestrian paths. The building’s relationship with the garden exterior is enhanced by the dwelling type chosen and the materials used. As for type, the apartments give out onto a spatious terrace that can serve as a greenhouse or sun room in winter, thanks to its system of sliding slatted shutters. As for the materials and construction system, the project has opted for a ventilated facade of panels of fireproof wood with the capacity to give a sense of warmth resonating with the green nature of the enclave, so its appearance will evolve over the years.