Hirzenbach Tower, Boltshauser Architekten

Swiss firm Boltshauer Architekten has designed a 12-storey residential tower in the Hirzenbach district of Zurich, which combines its connection with the modernist context with the flexible concepts of the actual apartments. An approach that won the project the gold medal in the Housing category of the 2018 best architects awards.


Hirzenbach is a district in the northern part of Zurich, Switzerland. Sparsely populated until the local marshlands were redeveloped in the sixties, Hirzernbach is now experiencing a real boom with a population growth predicted to rise from the present 11,900 to 18,600 in 2030. This sets the scene for the latest project by the Swiss firm, Boltshauser Architekten.
The new, 12-storey residential tower also includes a single-floor commercial building. The whole thing references the existing constructions where public functions are housed in low-lying buildings and apartments in high-rises. In this case, the two buildings fit in perfectly with the modernist urban environment but what makes the project stand out is not so much its form as the intrinsic quality of the actual apartments.
Bolthauser Architekten plays with a new spatial concept, crafted as a balanced mix of duplex apartments that are also recognisable from the facade, or lofts where the concrete balconies are an integral part of the open space. This layout is reflected in the facade, marked by large, double-height windows and in the structure of the tower, offering the desired variety for residents in this constantly expanding suburban context.
Hirzenbach Tower won the gold medal in the 2018 best architects awards precisely because of this approach that puts human beings at the centre, since its purpose is to harmoniously connect with the urban environment, without aiming for a landmark effect, and to the maximum comfort of residents, at the same time minimising environmental impact by using cutting-edge, energy-saving technology.

Christiane Bürklein

Project: Bolthauser Architekten - http://www.boltshauser.info/
Location: Hirzenbach, Zurich, Switzerland
Year: 2015
Photos: Kuster Frey
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