Description

The conversion of the former home for children and young people in Heizenholz introduces two architectural innovations: a seven-storey set of communal terraces and the idea of the “cluster apartment”, a hybrid variant of mini-apartment and shared flat.

The architectural concept proposed introducing a new building to link the two existing buildings with a series of terraces along its front face. These create outdoor areas on each floor, from the ground floor to the roof, which are communal spaces and serve as meeting places for the residents. While the internal organisation of the building is designed to cater explicitly for the needs of residents over 55, the concept includes a range of apartment sizes to ensure a sufficient mix of different age groups. The conversion created 26 apartments ranging from small one-room apartments to sizeable 330m² apartments, as well as three ateliers and two communal spaces. The large apartments are conceived as so-called “cluster apartments” that comprise several individual private spaces with an own kitchenette and bathroom grouped around a large commun al space. The kitchen and living rooms open onto the semi-public terraces while the bedrooms look onto the more peaceful woodland. A communal space with kitchen, an apartment for visiting guests, a practice room and workshop are also part of the project and can be used by all the tenants. The residents were able to contribute to the planning process, in particular with regard to social aspects such as new forms of living, the mix of residents, the communal areas, mobility options and outdoor areas. Although colours, materials and the quality of fittings were discussed among the group, it was agreed that final decisions would be left to the architects and the planning commission to ensure sufficient room for unconventional solutions. The project offers a number of interesting ideas for community-oriented housing models developed and organised by non-profit oriented developers rather than by private developers.

Kraftwerk 1 is a building and housing co-op association that formed in the 1990s and already had experience of housing projects with different house types, of involving future residents, and of ecological building principles. Citizens interested in this housing approach – the majority of whom were over 50 – were subsequently invited to contribute ideas to the planning of a new housing project. The process provided an opportunity both for participants to reflect on their own living situation and to get to know their future neighbours, and for the co-op association to benefit from the potential of the ideas in the group and from the strong sense of identification that developed among the prospective tenants. While participation was voluntary and there was no guarantee of an apartment, almost all of those who applied did find a place in the complex. After the project was completed, the residents have continued to organise the running of the complex, and have formed various work groups for administering the communal areas and taking care of the garden. The group comprises people of all age groups from 0 to 85 years of age.

In 2006, the Foundation of Homes for Children and Young People in Zurich decided to relocate part of their facilities from their site in Zurich-Höngg to other locations and put up their buildings for sale to community-oriented initiatives. The building and housing co-op association bid successfully for the site and purchased two of the former residential buildings and acquired building rights to the site (for a duration of 61 years). The typological and functional structure of the existing ensemble of buildings from the 1970s and their urban disposition were deemed suitable for the needs of large-scale community-oriented housing, although both buildings required comprehensive refurbishment and conversion works. The building and housing co-op association was awarded the option to purchase the buildings in early 2008. Five architecture offices in Zurich were then invited to submit a feasibility study. Detailed planning began in 2009, with construction following from 2010 to 2011. The group of interested parties was involved on an ongoing basis, contributing ideas and some of the decisions up until handover in late 2011. The renting of the apartments began approximately a year ahead of completion.

As an existing co-op association, Kraftwerk 1 acted as the project developer. The majority of the project costs (approx. 74%) were financed through regular bank loans, with 7% financed through low-interest loans from the Association for Community-oriented Housing Developers, 8% through the future tenants’ financial contributions and 10% from the co-op association mutual savings bank (deposits by members of the cooperatives). Approx. 1% was provided by the City of Zurich. Because Kraftwerk 1 is a comparatively young co-op association with limited capital of its own, the future tenants were asked to invest a higher than usual amount in the project: approx. 15,000 CHF per 35m² living area. This contribution accrues interest and reductions were available for people with low incomes. The co-op association maintains a solidarity fund for such purposes as well as for rent reductions. This is part of the co-op association’s principle of solidarity and ensures that people with lower incomes and smaller financial reserves can also join the cooperative as tenants. As a result the rent for the cooperative-owned apartments is around 15–30% less than the going rate in Zurich.

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Originally published in: Annette Becker, Laura Kienbaum, Kristien Ring, Peter Cachola Schmal, Bauen und Wohnen in Gemeinschaft / Building and Living in Communities, Birkhäuser, 2015.