Block of flats, Q-Bus, Winterthur
Maisonettes and flats, 44 dwellings, underground parking
Project competition in two stages, 1st Prize
completed 2001

A building celebrating the 125th anniversary of the 'Gesellschaft für Erstellung billiger Wohnhäuser in Winterthur'. During the planning phase standardized options for the interior arrangement of each dwelling type (44 dwellings total) were offered. Most buyers chose conventional layouts, which then were often adjusted in accordance with specific needs and wishes. The building comprises small and large maisonettes with garden terraces on ground and first floors, two floors of flats with large balconies/winter gardens and, on the top two floors, small and large roof maisonettes with large roof terraces. In dimension, the new building establishes a relationship with the monumentality of the neighbouring mill tower and the scale of the natural riverside landscape, distancing itself from the small-scale homeliness of the existing estate to the rear. In 2002 the building received an award for ‚exemplary housing'. Excerpt from the jury report:'...the resulting benefits are fourfold: the economical building structure allows homeownership for people who traditionally could only rent accommodation, the interface between architect and homeowner shifts, a rigorous and reduced constructional system can still allow a large variety of flat plans, and, finally, exemplary housing means a massive increase of value for the underprivileged area'.