Apartment building at 211 Zollikerstrasse, Zürich

The Project

The Riesbach neighborhood above the Tiefenbrunnen train station is characterized by expansive gardens with mature trees. The project calls for replacing the existing two-family home from the 1920s with a seven-unit apartment building. The structure will be built using a post-and-beam system constructed entirely of wood. Strip windows provide an unobstructed view of the green surroundings while offering sufficient privacy through the closed parapets. The exposed wooden ceilings reinforce the horizontal nature of the spatial layout. Solid, coarse-grained Nagelfluh stone floors “ground” the rooms and provide an interesting contrast to the wooden structure.

The Construction Method

The pure skeleton structure is constructed as a TS3 load-bearing system, eliminating the need for joists. The flat slabs provide an uninterrupted view from the interior through the balconies to the exterior, allowing the wraparound ribbon windows to seamlessly blend the interior and exterior spaces.

The Challenges

The sensitive environment of the densely populated Riesbach neighborhood places high demands on noise and traffic levels, which are significantly reduced thanks to the high degree of prefabrication and just-in-time assembly of the TS3 load-bearing structure. Kitchen islands, positioned away from the vertical riser zones, can also be implemented according to the owners’ wishes.

Client testimonials from the perspective of Singer Baenziger Architects

Construction data

• Number of floors: 3 plus penthouse
• Gross floor area: 1,060 m²
• CLT-260 mm: 550 m²
• CLT-280 mm: 510 m²

Architecture

Singer Baenziger Architects, Zurich

Client

Private

Timber engineer

Timbatec Timber Construction Engineers Switzerland AG, Zurich

Timber construction

Burkart AG - trilegno

Construction management

Rémy Baenziger

CLT Manufacturer
Schilliger Holz, Küsnacht