Graf Biscioni Architekten

Description

The building is located in the immediate vicinity of the Winterthur train station, in the future Rudolfstrasse pedestrian zone, which is scheduled for completion in 2022. Set in a courtyard area surrounded by various other structures, the new building is part of the centre zone Z6. It is a slim, elegant volume, not much taller than the surrounding buildings. The courtyard side does not immediately reveal the full six storeys. The large windows, some of them six metres high, along with galleries visible from the outside and stairs facing in various directions give the building its distinctive look and weave it into its surroundings. The dense inner structure results from the context, which dictated a wide range of sight lines and orientations, confined spaces and the heterogeneous spatial programme. The offices take up the ground and first floors, while the second floor accommodates two small apartments, and on floors three to five, two apartments spiral up through the three storeys, giving each unit views in every direction. On the roof terrace, which offers a wonderful panoramic view, the two upper units meet up again in a common space.