Waldacker housing
Areal Waldacker, Baufeld A1, St.Gallen
Competition, 2017
Municipality of St.Gallen
Mettler2 Invest AG, St.Gallen
Pauli Stricker GmbH, St.Gallen
Blumer-Lehmann AG, Gossau/Erlenhof
The planning perimeter is shaped by the striking topography and borders on an important belt of open space around the city. In order to largely preserve the extensive green area and its two ponds, the two buildings are situated at their edges and create an enclosure to the built structure. The longer volume lies on a contour line, the shorter on a natural spur. As a result, the longitudinal building facing Ahornweg is only three storeys high, which brings it into line with the scale of the neighbouring buildings. The outdoor space in between has an urban character and can be used be both buildings. Between the two houses is a recreation and play zone from which you enter the buildings. More
The roughly twenty family apartments all face the Waldackerweg. With the outdoor areas in front, they are ideal for children to play. The majority of the smaller units are on the west side, looking out over the landscape. For the sake of maximum open space, dense, buildings with several apartments per floor were developed in which each apartment is best oriented for light and its relation to outdoor space.s
The expressive form of the volumes results from the logic of the plans. Since the houses are timber buildings, this material also plays an important role in the facades. A ribbon facade with large windows and a closed area under the windows characterises the two buildings and speaks of the generous feeling of living inside.
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