A-Park in Albisrieden. The boundaries on the four sides of the property are very different: on the south side runs the Albisriderstrasse, the main traffic artery of Albisrieden; on the north side the picturesque and historic mill on the Albisrieden village square; to the west is a pseudo-rural housing scheme from the 1980s, near to the historic village centre; to the east is the elegant and urbane building by Egender from the 1930s. In addition, an important local recreational axis runs through the property. The urban development concept responds to these contextual demands with six diagonally placed building volumes which are staggered and of different lengths yet related to each other. The new estate creates a new order in the heterogeneous quarter, but opens itself up to the fluid environs of the surrounding housing estates. The project mediates in an up-to-date way in that the slightly staggered buildings can react in a more subtle manner to their immediate surroundings and because the influence of the various urban forces on the property can be visualised. By slightly deviating from an orthogonal arrangement, the 4 building volumes give the external surroundings a dynamic form and can react situationally to their contexts. In this way the view or the sunlight enjoyed by each flat can be optimised and the reduction of the views from the surrounding buildings can be minimised. In addition, the estate gains a typical character of its own which increases the level of identification. The stream path with its attractive row of plane trees and the row of trees running along the Albisriederstrasse have, needless to say, been retained, and give the project a park-like appearance.

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