Musikerwohnhaus / BUOL&ZUND

Musikerwohnhaus

Bauherr: Stiftung Habitat, Basel
Architekt: Buol & Zünd Architekten BSA, Basel
Stand:
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The various buildings of a discontinued factory dating from 1885 have been
transformed into a spacious home and work environment for musicians and their
families. The building fabric was not in all parts of good quality. The brick structure of
the workshop in the backyard as well as the warehouse was adequate, and the
buildings on Lothringerstrasse, which once housed both administration and
manufacturing, were used in the ensemble since they had a certain formal panache.
Structures of minor architectural value were demolished and the remaining elements
incorporated into the new development, forming an interesting conglomerate of special
qualities.

Acoustic adaptations enable people to both teach and live in the new apartments.
Guest apartments, training rooms, a sound/recording studio, a canteen and a spacious
children’s playroom all form part of the new musicians’ apartment house.

The structural diversity of the original factory site meant that for each building a
separate conversion strategy had to be developed. The former warehouse was the
biggest building, a wooden structure with a spacing of 4 x 4 x 4 meters surrounded by a
massive external wall. These characteristics have been integrated into and adapted to
the new building: The internal wooden structure is being copied onto the external wall by
using concrete pillars and beams, and the diagonal steel supports also show the
internal structure outside.

The layout of the maisonette apartments and flat shares mirrors the grid pattern of the
old wooden structure. However, in one part the existing structure was weak and was
therefore replaced with a new open courtyard living space.

Compared to the regular apartments guest apartments have been more modestly
refurbished, but they are also adapted to enable playing music without disturbing
neighbours.

Bathroom and kitchen facilities are hidden in purpose-built furniture which is sound-
absorbing, too. This furniture is designed as a gallery with a bunk bed on top, the wood-
panelled encasement is designed to remind of the former warehouse shelves.    

Existing building materials were recycled and put to good use in the new building in
inventive ways.

The decoration of the frosted glass panels has been inspired by a wire fence found in
the area. At first the fence was planned to be put behind glass, but in the end an
abstract version of the wire was etched onto the window. Windowsill fillings and
bathroom ceramic tiles were carefully removed, restored and reused in the new
building.

W house / SLOW architects

    This is a SOHO built from the renovation and expansion of a small single-story      

    building. The original building is brick structure with slope roof. Now we take away  

    the old roof and change it into three stories by making use of original brick walls  

    and adding new light wooden structure walls. Since the surrounding environment is 

    relatively messy, we put wood workshop which is not so private on the first floor, and 

    lift the living functions on to the second floor from where the orchard and farmland 

    on the west can be seen. The third floor consists two lofts and an outdoor terrace. 

    The functions are organized as a series of platforms, from workshop on first floor,  

    then dining room, living room, kitchen on second floor, finally to loft and terrace on  

    third floor, spiraling up the two-story high atrium. The height differences between 

    the platforms are determined in a way that some of the terraces are floors as well as 

    big seats where people can sit leisurely to form a very casual atmosphere.

Villa Abborrkroken / JRN

 

Villa Abborrkroken i Överby,
Stockholm archipelago

Situated on a natural plateau atop a rocky headland, the house enjoys panoramic views across

the bay and the evening sun to the west. The Gotland limestone on concrete foundation is

crafted like a massive plinth, building walkways along three of the house’s façades under

the roof’s deep overhangs. On the side facing the sea, the limestone-covered foundation

opens out into a large terrace with a sunken swimming pool and recessed sitting area

providing shelter from the wind. The same limestone-covered foundation forms the connected

floor space throughout the house. LyssnaLäs fonetiskt

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The entrance side of the house features a solid façade wall, plastered and decolored to matte

black. The only interruption is a ceiling-high pivot door with a thin lattice of black

stained oak filtering the light. The other façades are made up of a structural glazing system

of full glass walls. The insulated glass consists of an outer layer of Optiwhite glass,

reducing daylight discoloration, and an inner layer of thermal control glass to avoid

condensation and downdraft.  The bottom of the glass frame is completely recessed and hidden

between limestone slabs, making the boundary between outside and inside practically non-

existent. A hidden moat around the house, constructed of stainless steel with a limestone

cover, channels rain and snow water away.

The floor plan of the house, a simple rectangular shape, is clearly divided into private and

social spheres. The private sphere is further divided into bedrooms, bathrooms and storage,

built around an open-concept living space. Instead of traditional doors, most openings are

ceiling height. Simply turning the corner gives you the impression of entering a new room.

The formative idea behind the house was to create a clear and concentrated form in marked

contrast to the surrounding landscape. The presence of a concrete object, abstract for the

location, also heightens the experience of the rich shades of nature.
Lyssna
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While an agreement on the basic idea was reached quickly, finalizing requirements regarding

quality, precision and attention to detail was an extensive project. Behind the clean lines

hides a series of advanced technological systems. Tap water is extracted from the sea and

treated in a desalination unit. Heating for the floors, outdoor pool and hot water is

produced by a geothermal heat pump. District cooling, so-called free air-conditioning, is

also pumped into the house through the rock shaft, which means that all air-conditioning is

basically free of charge. All systems are operated by a smart control and monitoring

solution, using a web-based interface, controlled via the internet or a mobile handset.

John Robert Nilsson