Shades of grey

Affoltern is one of the city’s largest districts of Zurigo. In the 1950s it experienced rapid urban growth, largely involving intensive cooperative building developments, and reached its current population of 25,000. The area is also home to a large residential development recently carried through by architects from the Zurich-based practice KSA – Kyncl Schaller Architekten. The complex, located in the Mötteliweg area, consists of seven multilevel buildings housing about a hundred new apartments. The area offers all the services that are essential for a high standard of living, from schools (including kindergartens and nurseries) to shops and public transport. The buildings are located in a green area and form a distinct stylistic neighbourhood unit. The architecture tends to unify the elevations through the use of terraced horizontal strips and large glazed surfaces. The seven buildings with four above-ground floors contain 98 spacious apartments with an equal number of car parking spaces in the basement. All the apartments are single-floor units; there are no duplex units. They come in various sizes: most consist of three or four rooms plus bathroom (50 and 25 apartments, respectively) with a floor space of between 110 and 140 square metres; the rest are two-room apartments plus bathroom (from 63.5 to 92 square metres) as well as five apartments with five rooms plus bathroom (154.5 square metres) for larger families. On the top floor are penthouses with large terraces. In spite of their large dimensions, the apartments have a highly rational and schematic interior layout. Priority was given to maximising free space and brightness. Besides the floor areas, the apartments have a number of shared design and construction features. The first and most striking is the choice of an open-plan fitted kitchen set into a corner of the living and dining area. The living areas are very large and well lit. The floors in the interiors, terraces and loggias run seamlessly and are clad with same ceramic tiles. The tiles used are from the Alabastro Ultimate collection by Ergon, an Emilceramica brand, in the colour Antracite Urban Charcoal and size 30×60 cm (a total tiled surface of 18,500 sq.m). The external glazing is an integral, distinctive part of the project, the living rooms featuring a continuous transparent window looking out over the greenery. Another standard feature is the provision of wall closets in all apartments. The bathrooms are fully equipped (furnishings with washbasin counter and lower section for electrical appliances, all Class A+ like the kitchen, and built-in showers) and are windowless with forced centralised ventilation. An automated system controls air exchange even when the windows are closed. The buildings in the development all boast low levels of energy consumption. In addition to the air exchange control system, the air temperature can be programmed. The energy for heating and for sanitary hot water is provided by the city of Zurich’s district heating system. Another major feature is the extensive home automation system.
All the doors and windows are electrically operated and the windows are fitted with integrated blinds. In the living room, the curtains can be operated by remote control. The apartments are fully wired and ready for Internet and cable TV (fibre) and all rooms have multiple light points and multimedia sockets. This modern project envisages space, light, fixtures and equipment as the keys to a high standard of living immersed in greenery.