The site defined in the brief consists of two main parts, separated by the highway ramp. The larger one facing the city is almost fully occupied by existing housing- and office buildings, whereas the one facing the river is only sparsely used as a storage for building- materials and equipment by the city. A rarely used rail line, the highway ramp, the river, and a retaining wall isolate this part from the city. Combined with the high noise exposure from the highway this probably was the reason that this part has not been developed until now. The promenade along the Sihl is lined with very large plane trees, forming a counterpoint to the heavy infrastructure of the highway.
As the city of Zurich continues to grow and the demand for housing near the center is ever increasing, we need to look at inner-city sites that are underutilized as well as sites which were previously considered too noisy for living. Plots like this that are well connected by public transport and close to the city center are ideal for the further densification of the city.
The sociological study shows that the Manesseplatz area is exceptional within Zurich in its very low share of cooperative housing and its popularity with families. I therefore, propose adding a building for a housing cooperative, which could actually benefit from the relative isolation of the urban island, as it helps with the desired community building between residents.
The sociological study shows that the Manesseplatz area is exceptional within Zurich in its very low share of cooperative housing and its popularity with families. I therefore, propose adding a building for a housing cooperative, which could actually benefit from the relative isolation of the urban island, as it helps with the desired community building between residents.
The space underneath the elevated highway ramp that runs along the entire western side of the plot is developed into an alleyway from which the building is addressed. The columns supporting the highway ramp become markers for the entrances and by building the façade directly next to the ramp it becomes a canopy shading the front of the building, reflecting the noise away. Similar to a porch, the area under the ramp allows the residents of the ground floor studios to extend their living spaces into the public realm. As an object, it helps with creating an identity for the plot within the neighborhood.
The ends of the building forming the contact points with the city and the riverfront promenade are marked by public functions. Facing the river is a small café that can be used by passers-by as well as by the cooperative for its meetings and events. A childcare center is located on the side facing the city. It connects to the green patch behind the riverfront that can be used as a play area for the children.
Spacious staircases act as interaction spaces between the residents. Daylight entering from the side makes it possible to break the verticality of the space by having only small cutouts and still provide very well-lit spaces. Through the asymmetry of the cutouts there are entrance areas to the apartments, that act as shared winter gardens for the apartments on each floor. Visual connections with the kitchens of the apartments increase engagement between neighbors and activate the space.
There are four types of apartments reacting to the different characteristics within the site. There are duplex studios on the ground floor engaging with the space of the alleyway. Above them is another duplex apartment typology that reacts to the proximity of the highway with a loggia that opens up to the quiet space underneath the highway ramp and is illuminated through a wall of glass bricks from above the ramp. The apartments above the highway all feature living rooms with a connection to the green side facing the river. Work and auxiliary spaces face the road. Common to all apartments is the gradual increase in privacy from the public space to the private and the desire to have all bedrooms facing away from the highway.
