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Apartmenttower Triemliplatz, Zürich
Birmensdorferstrasse 511, Zürich
1966
The
15-storey
residential tower is a highly visible accent on
Triemliplatz in the city of Zurich. Against the
backdrop of Uetliberg it corresponds in urban respect
with the adjacent high-rise building of the Triemli hospital, which was finished in 1969. Due to its enormous height the building provoked a heated debate even during
the planning phase. The project idea was developed by Rudolf and Esther Guyer already in 1954 while still studying. While they were working on their first job with Josef Schütz,
they further elaborated the design and established the building application project. One of the remarkable features are the diamond-shaped floorplans of the 60 apartments,
which are oriented to the south, averted from the street noise.
In the elevation the design results in a dense bundle of towers made of exposed concrete, which are designed in a style remembering Brutalism.
The windows vanish behind high balustrades, a feature which accentuates the sculptural character of the building. The monolithic expression is related to buildings by
the architect Louis I. Kahn, but is also reminiscent of the Japanese metabolism. Typical for its time is the rational design of standardized elements,
as it was applied in a larger scale for the first time in the 1960s as a consequence of the enormous economic growth. For the construction of this building
was used situ concrete, which was poured by the use of a climbing formwork made from rough planks. The balustrades were made of the same formwork structure
locally produced on the building site and displaced by crane.
with the adjacent high-rise building of the Triemli hospital, which was finished in 1969. Due to its enormous height the building provoked a heated debate even during
the planning phase. The project idea was developed by Rudolf and Esther Guyer already in 1954 while still studying. While they were working on their first job with Josef Schütz,
they further elaborated the design and established the building application project. One of the remarkable features are the diamond-shaped floorplans of the 60 apartments,
which are oriented to the south, averted from the street noise.
In the elevation the design results in a dense bundle of towers made of exposed concrete, which are designed in a style remembering Brutalism.
The windows vanish behind high balustrades, a feature which accentuates the sculptural character of the building. The monolithic expression is related to buildings by
the architect Louis I. Kahn, but is also reminiscent of the Japanese metabolism. Typical for its time is the rational design of standardized elements,
as it was applied in a larger scale for the first time in the 1960s as a consequence of the enormous economic growth. For the construction of this building
was used situ concrete, which was poured by the use of a climbing formwork made from rough planks. The balustrades were made of the same formwork structure
locally produced on the building site and displaced by crane.