BUCHGRINDLE II

ARCH 2140 | 2021

Located in the small town of Wetzikon, Switzerland, the apartment complex Buchgrindel II is a community-oriented residence by the swiss architect, Theo Hotz.

The complex is essentially three identical four-story, dumbbell shaped, point-load buildings repeated adjacent to each other. The repetition of the dumbbell shape creates lightwells that supply daylight to the units that would otherwise have only two exterior exposures. The ground floor consists of small apartments, communal storage areas, and a central residential street by which the three central stairs, ground floor apartments, and storage units can be accessed. The second floor contains larger apartments with bridges spanning over the residential street, and the third floor contains duplex apartments with roof access. The fourth floor contains these roof accesses and medium-sized units.

First Floor Plan

Second Floor Plan

Third Floor Plan

Fourth Floor Plan

As seen in section, the second floor cantilevers and acts like a bridge over the central residential street. The space between the bridges acts as lightwells and supplies light and fresh air to the middle part of each unit. The complex also offers below-ground parking for residents.

One significant aspect of Buchgrindel II is that each unit has their own private outdoor space, a concept that was incorporated in the housing studio final requirements. The massing axons above show the places where outdoor space is carved out from the overall mass.

Outdoor terraces

Vertical circulation

Horizontal circulation