Architecture: Densification: This is how wood works
This is how finishing with wood works
Hildebrand Architects renovated the residential and commercial building on Bremgartnerstrasse in Zurich in a contemporary timber construction and added a floor.
Who the CO2-Emission will be reduced, also tries to save when building. This is most effective when little material is used. In the inner-city context in particular, it is therefore worth expanding the existing resources – this was also the case at Bremgartnerstrasse 48 in Zurich.
The life insurance group Swiss Life, as the client, commissioned the architects to preserve the existing building on the corner from the 1930s. Hildebrand Studios tested gentle, but also more profound renovation variants.
Architect Thomas Hildebrand worked on the task with his team: “The architectural challenge of building in an existing building is to do it in the most interesting and fun way possible.”
It means looking closely, reading a story and telling it further: “The corner building is not spectacular, but it is an important part of the quarter.” It is behind the Schmiede Wiedikon popular residential area in the immediate vicinity of numerous small shops, cafes and restaurants.
The city of Zurich is growing and space resources for new buildings are scarce. Increases and extensions are therefore playing an increasingly important role for densification. “Bremgartnerstraße 48 shows how we want to deal with existing residential buildings in the future – in addition to the material ones, we could also continue to use the cultural resources for the next phase in the life cycle of the building,” says Thomas Hildebrand.
The architects have completely renovated 18 two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half-room apartments and created four new attic apartments and one commercial space.
Hildebrand Studios continued to build with wood. The well-established material is predestined for this urban and future-oriented task: its low dead weight saves resources, it is statically advantageous and the high degree of prefabrication enables lean and fast construction. In addition, fewer trips are required to deliver material, which also reduces particulate matter pollution and fuel consumption.
In view of the climate crisis that is becoming ever clearer, a radical rethinking in the construction industry is comprehensive. And with that, priorities shift. “Building in less and more sustainable material such as wood is an obvious way in which we can respond to urgent questions,” says Thomas Hildebrand. “However, we will have to find more comprehensive answers and also reinvent our job profile.”
This transformation phase has only just begun. The corner building on Bremgartnerstraße is a good example of how sustainable densification can work. In addition to the advantages in terms of resources, the building impresses with its design and spatial qualities. With the two additional attic floors, Hildebrand Studios expands the existing stock and creates high-quality city apartments that meet today’s requirements.
In the interior design, natural materials characterize the atmosphere. And the existing balconies are upgraded with wooden floors, which further brings the interior and exterior together.
Under the new roof, the two-storey rooms create a lot of air, and the view from the roof terraces gives the building a new perspective. The aging house from the 1930s has been given a friendly and contemporary look – with a sustainable core.
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