Bollhalder Walser Architektur

Description

The residential building is located on the southern slope of the Rosenberg hill in St. Gallen, in a neighbourhood characterised by detached houses and generous gardens. The two-storey replacement building with a gabled roof addresses the street with its narrow façade and, together with the neighbouring house to the south, frames a generous outdoor space. A glazed garden pavilion completes the ensemble. The house contains two 6.5-room maisonette apartments and one 3.5-room attic apartment. Living, dining and kitchen areas are oriented to the south, while bedrooms and workspaces are arranged along the north side. Beneath the pitched roof, the attic apartment offers an introverted work and retreat space. A cascading staircase running longitudinally through the building provides access to all units and forms the central circulation core. The building is based on a hybrid construction system combining a concrete circulation core with timber side wings. A photovoltaic installation forms the thin outer skin of the gabled roof. The two-storey balcony structure is conceived as a freestanding steel frame, slightly set back from the end façades, allowing the main volume to remain clearly legible. The remaining façades are clad in white horizontal timber slats, establishing a material relation to the neighbouring building. Vertical battens articulate the façades and organise the varying window sizes into a consistent, finely composed grid.