Gigon Guyer - Switzerland
Apartment Buildings
Diggelmannstrasse 19 - 23, Zürich
2003 - 2007

The heterogeneous and fine-grained settlement structure of the residential area Zurich Albisrieden gave rise to divide the requested program into in several buildings. The apartment buildings, designed by Gigon Guyer, are grouped on the plot, two of them are arranged along the road while the third is recessed into the interior of the garden. The building group consists of three polygonal volumes featuring different basic forms. Their materiality interconnects the buildings, their color groups them to each other, but at the same time detaches them from each other and creates relationships with surrounding buildings.
The access to two northern houses is made directly from the road via the basement. A path, which is defined as a star-shaped figure with large-format plates in the continuous green space, leads to the rear, southern house. Deciduous trees accentuate the green space and creates shaded outdoor places to linger.
The buildings provide 3.5 to 5.5 room apartments with different polygonal floor plans. The living areas are related to the spacious balconies that are oriented in different directions. The sunlight and the desired privacy can be adjusted on the balconies by curtains. The kitchens are open towards the living and dining rooms, or can be separated by sliding walls.
Circumferential windows and balustrades give the volumes a horizontal structure and help to integrate the cantilevered balconies and recessed attic areas into a simple appearance. The ventilated facade with panel with enamelled glass is transformed in balconies with colored curtains and terrace with balustrades made of translucent glass of the same color.
The color has been developed in close collaboration with the artist Adrian Schiess. The facades of the two smaller buildings near the streat feature a greenish-yellow color for the parapets and a purple color for the walls between the windows. For the set-back, southern house in the garden, the color pair Pink / Beige was elected.