Edelaar Mosayebi Inderbitzin
Speich Areal
Hönggerstrasse 51, Zürich
2010 - 2015


The residential and commercial building Speich Areal, designed by the architectural office Edelaar Mosayebi Inderbitzin, goes back to a study commission from 2010. The Speich Areal is located in immediate neighborhood to the river Limmat in a difficult urban situation. At this place occurs the transition between the perimeter block developments and the heterogeneous edification at the Wipkingerplatz. Another incisive condition of this site is the proximity to the heavy traffic Hardbrücke. The project takes these conditions into account with a building volume, which fulfills a mediating function. The building end fronting the Wipkingerplatz is of a catchy shape and tries to give the place a new indentity, while the expression of the façade to the Hönggerstrass is adapted to the typical  perimeter block constructions of this district. This elevation is classically structured into base, standard floors and attic. A generous public passage to the river Limmat appears like a barnyard, as it is common in this neighborhood. Towards the river side, the façade is characterized by a series of balconies. The ground floor houses offices and studios. The studios open to the Hönggerstrasse by the way of a showcase, inside the studios evolve over two floors and feature a garden exit to the river side on the lower floor. Access to the apartments above and offices is made by three staircases. Above the ground floor there are three mainly identical standard floors with different apartments and commercial spaces in the building head. The commercial spaces can be flexibly divided into different units due to the frame construction. In the attic floor the number of apartments is reduced to six units in comparision to the four flats of the standard floor. According to the position at the top of the building, these apartments are more spacious. The exterior of the building is characterized by the shiny ceramic tiles and the anodized aluminum of the supplementary components.