Fluid space. Social Housing Langgrütstrasse by Gus Wüstemann Architects

Description of project by Gus Wüstemann Architects

Social equity through affordable housing with a great quality of living space.

This housing project is a building of nine flats in the outer green belt of Albisrieden in the city of Zurich. The urban structure is characterized by simple linear buildings from the 1950s with generously sized gardens, which are arranged at right angles to one another.

The client specifically asked for affordable housing with a great quality of living spaces in the center of Zurich.Natural light, privacy and a spatial moment of generosity, were the focus of this project. We use a sustainable,solid and well isolated double concrete shell, which economically works out, as there are no façade, plaster,or metalworks needed.

The typology of the 60 and 90m2 flats are intimate sleeping rooms and open living rooms, with peripheral kitchens but no circulation. A common terrace is on the roof.

A maximum of natural light, privacy and spatial moment of generosity, all elements of usually architect designed commissions that are out of reach for lower income parties,were the main focus of this project. The building of nine flats is a solid block of organically casted concrete, with two patios cut out of it.

In those patios lay the living rooms like bridges, leading from east to west, from morning sun to evening sun. By reducing all the technical installations of the building to a minimum, in swiss standards, we focus on a couple of interventions that add major value to the quality of the living space.

These are sliding windows and a built-in bench as the communicative element of the concrete topography. The open living spaces create the impression of living outside inside.