Residential Building Zug Schleife / Valerio Olgiati

Text description provided by the architects. Seen from a distance the floor plates projecting from the facade with their elliptical openings look like flying carpets with ornamental borders. For the residents these elliptical openings generate a sense of distance, since they prevent neighbours from seeing into each other’s apartments.

At the same time the correspondence between each of these round forms and the individual apartments gives residents a feeling of living alone in a centre. The perception of space changes according to the point of view and the position of the sun.

The apartment floor plans are divided into a living area in the west and a sleeping and working area in the east, with bathrooms and wardrobes in between. In spatial terms the balconies form an extension of the living room. This impression is further strengthened by the large elliptical openings.

The exposed concrete structure is made of red-brown concrete poured in situ. The outer walls are clad with glass panels in the same colour. They appear fragile and light and contrast with the solid concrete structure.

The use of the same colour for the cladding and the reflections in the glass blur the clear contours of the heated volume. As a result the elemental appearance of the stone construction is amplified.