weberbrunner architekten

Description

The building plot is set in the heart of Gutenswil in the Zurich highlands. Given the intact rural village structure here, the aim was to mediate both spatially and haptically between the developed area and surrounding agricultural fields and orchards. The apartment house combines contemporary open floor plans with traditional architectural elements found in the village environment: a gravel forecourt without garden elements to directly address the surroundings; an overhanging porch as transition between public and private usage layers; and a multifaceted wooden façade that changes its appearance during the course of the day. The wooden shell acts like a skin that delineates a clear volume from the outside, where has a closed look, while from the inside it becomes transparent, opening up views into the distance. On the first storey, loggias are incorporated between the glazing and the wooden skin.