The task was to transform the ground floor of a 70's office building, used as a kindergarten, into a clean and contemporary house for a collector.
Some 16 tons of concrete were cut away, to enlarge the windows overlooking the two level garden. Remaining were three concrete pillars, which were integrated in the floor plan of the apartment using them for the fireplace, the closet and the TV wall... creating so an open but organized and structured space.
The collection became the focal point of the house. The open day and night zones could be separated and closed when needed. Multiple use of space helped save room; the corridor doubles as closets, the guest bathroom the laundry, the fireplace wall separates the kitchen from the living room without cutting it... and the TV wall divides the library from the living room without obstructing the view to the two great garden levels.
A small swimming pool and a deck area off the dining zone were a great substitution for the balcony, the outside area includes a small patio functioning as a parking space for old-timers...
Glass walls are insuring some privacy without obscuring the sunset. One can feel a sense of oasis in the middle of the city.
The reduced minimalist approach emphasizes the collection of art objects and at the same time respects the 70's concrete brutalist architecture of the building.
Architects: Daniele Claudio Taddei, Zurich, Switzerland
