Row house in Gockhausen
In the early 1970s, the renowned architect Eduard Neuenschwander built a housing estate on the far side of the Zürichberg in the style of the Scandinavian post-war period.
The years he spent studying under Alvar Aalto in Finland are clearly visible in the fanned-out layout of the estate. As a result, the individual terraced houses have the typical tapered floor plan towards the north, where the entrance is located.
Towards the south and the garden, the living spaces widen and open up. The copper fireplace is located where the interior and exterior interlock.
The client was impressed by the value of what they found and wanted to extensively remodel the row house, which was in need of renovation, for their third phase of life.
The footprint of the row house is only 60 m2. The total living space of 180 m2 results from three storeys, including the basement, which serves as a recording studio and props store for the client, who is active in the music and film business.
The ground floor living area with semi-open kitchen is connected to the first floor, which contains a bedroom, guest room and bathroom, by an airy wooden staircase with wooden handrails, recognisably inspired by Aalto's design language.
The fine black metal construction connecting the steps and the handrail, forms a vertical rhythmic structure. It has been reflected in the newly installed furniture, with the joints appearing in colour both vertically and horizontally.
The synthetic resin fronts of all the built-in furniture create varied compositions of different subtle colours. Only the horizontal working surfaces in the kitchen and bathroom and on the tables, as well as the joint pattern, are designed in strong colours.
In addition, matt and high-gloss fronts alternate, so that a spatial extension is achieved through partial and precisely placed reflections.
Individual surfaces are finished with a dark imitation wood pattern that echoes the dark tone of the original block parquet flooring.
As the proportions of the rooms are harmonious and sensibly dimensioned, the house appears larger and still offers contemporary living and working even seven decades after its completion.
The architecture of Eduard Neuenschwander, and of course indirectly that of Alvar and Aino Aalto, which continues to be a source of inspiration for us, is given a respectful, good-humoured contemporary echo by the new fixtures and fittings.
