A sunny student residence

The construction area is regulated by a district plan that defines the spatial models: the height, width and depth of the building are given. For this reason, the architectural firm has placed the emphasis on a detailed work of the construction elements that have resulted in a new formal definition and therefore a strong identity to the building. Displacements in the facade planes and cuts in the volume allowed the building to be given a slender shape, to define a composition with a “whole” and a lateral volume and, above all, to manage the duality of the project, located between railway tracks on one side and a residential area on the other. Thus, in a simple volume, states of reading overlapped on each other, qualifying each front of the building emphasizing the verticality and offering openings in the landscape. In response to the building’s internal program, the facade is characterized by a regular metal mesh that defines the openings and gives the building its character. This mesh is sometimes complemented by windows and photovoltaic modules arranged alternately throughout the facade.

Photo: DMK Architecture Photography
Source: www.solarchitecture.ch