EMI Architekt*innen Edelaar Mosayebi Inderbitzin

Description

With the commission to build small flats on Stampfenbachstrasse, we sought a living space that could be located somewhere beyond a «downsized» family flat and a dull one-room loft. The idea for such a living space is based on the notion of a «performative space» that adapts individually to the occupants: Similar to a dress, it wraps itself around the human body, can be opened and closed, and offers different «pockets» and storage spaces for light household goods. In the spirit of this performance, the basic elements of architecture have been rethought: floor and ceiling, doors and walls, fixtures and furniture, windows, structural elements, curtains, mirrors, etc. In addition to movable elements, pedestals on the façade side are particularly important. Here, the floor becomes a surface to sit or recline on. This is linked to the idea of living with little furniture. Prior to realisation, an exemplary flat was researched by means of a mock-up at ETH Zurich. The house on Stampfenbachstrasse occupies a corner plot opposite the Beckenhof, adjoins the existing building on one side and leaves a small courtyard facing away from the street. The prefabricated wooden panel construction with walls and ceilings made of solid wood panels (CLT) is built on existing basements. On the outside, the house is clad in a thin metallic skin that conceals the interior.