Schneider & Schneider Architekten

Description

Even from a distance, the residential and commercial building stands out from its surroundings of reserved new construction. With a petrol green façade of plastered monolithic Einstein masonry, round windows and arcades that form the backbone of the building like an exposed spine, the new structure contrasts sharply with its neighbours with their classically gridded façades in light grey and brown tones. As the final building block, this new replacement building completes the neighbourhood in the form of a not quite classic courtyard perimeter development. The low-tech, mixed-use building houses retail space on the ground floor, a dance studio in the courtyard and 26 residential units lined up along the arcades facing the street. The apartments are reduced to the essentials and designed for people who consciously want to live with few possessions. The bright interiors are organised by a central built-in core that covers basic needs and thus enables functional micro-apartments. The bathroom breaks with the classic norm and is integrated into the room: the shower, washbasin and toilet are separate from each other and merge with the living space. The minimalist floor plans are characterised by a well thought-out interplay of functionality, material and surface structure, conveying a feeling of spaciousness despite their small size. A large balcony layer with greenery in front serves as a buffer zone between the interior and exterior spaces.