2_1_DiscoverGermany_January15_Issue22:Scan Magazine 1
11/12/14
18:52
Page 66
Special Theme
Great Architects
Stücheli Architekten Intertwining detail and concept Not just visually pleasing, architecture’s role as an urban landmark, an interlocutor between the landscape and its residents, is understood by Zurich’s Stücheli Architekten. Cementing its reputation as one of Switzerland’s foremost architectural practices for over five decades, the firm is increasingly fusing its buildings with the optimal balance of innovation and tradition, bestowing the ultimate in sustainable building practices upon their creations with well-thought out concepts and apt materials. TEXT: EMMIE COLLINGE | PHOTOS: STÜCHELI ARCHITEKTEN
Decades of experience have resulted in a loyal following for the firm, earning them commissions across the length and breadth of Switzerland and Europe – and, of late, they’ve set their sights on the globe intertwining the terms detail and concept. The method employed by the 90strong team involves being present and correct. Without a strong concept for a design, the building's principle foundations will lack substance, potentially leaving it at fault with its surroundings. Upholding the concept is the role of the details, the firm explains. Details, which can take the form of intricate facades, wide stairwells, high ceilings and natural light, combine to support the concept. Choosing features that enhance the existing structures, or reference the locality of the building, works to the advantage of the concept too.
66 | Issue 22 | January 2015