Description

The terraced development on a slope is located between Lake Constance and the Bregenz Forest, although the site is separated from the lakeshore by a much-travelled road and a railway line. The configuration of the plinth story, which houses retail stores, commercial spaces, and the underground garage, ensures that the apartments on the upper levels lie above the acoustical shadow of the road.

The atria at ground level, which provide access to the commercial units, continue on the upper floors as planted open spaces. The terraced building sections contain duplex and triplex apartments, staggered so that each apartment features a generous terrace with a splendid view of Lake Constance.

With the exception of two small apartments in the rear section of the building, all living areas with kitchen open onto these terraces, while the bedrooms underneath overlook the elongated courtyards. Principal access is provided via glass-covered, cascading stairs with landings in front of sets of two apartments. The comb-like structure achieves a differentiated sequence of public (green spaces), semiprivate (pergolas) and private exterior spaces (terraces).

The corner of the complex facing toward the city is marked by a 4-story office building, next to which the entrance ramp to the underground garage is located. The ingeniously stacked and staggered apartments create a typological variety that succeeds in bridging the gap between row-house development and dense low buildings.

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Originally published in: Oliver Heckmann, Friederike Schneider (eds.), Floor Plan Manual Housing, fourth revised and expanded edition, Birkhäuser, 2011.