Aeugst am Albis, Switzerland
This unique detached house with an exposed concrete facade lies in a sought-after residential area on the edge of the village of Aeugst am Albis in the canton of Zurich.
Boasting glorious views that stretch all the way from the nearby Lindenberg to the Bernese Alps, the setting serves as a key element in the design of the house. The new building lies on the slope at the rear border with the neighboring plot and overlooks open countryside to the south and west.
The design of this residence was short-listed for a 2021 International Architecture Award from The Chicago Athenaeum and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies.
The exposed concrete, which essentially appears as untreated stone, contrasts with its green surroundings yet blends in as though it were a perfectly natural part of the landscape. The exposed concrete facade emerges sculpture-like from the whole, as an outward-thrusting layer with large openings.
The bank of windows, by contrast, is set back a little. In one fell swoop, this creates an intermediate indoor-outdoor space that is used as a recessed balcony. This heightens the effect of the lift-and-slide windows, which can additionally be opened in corners, thus visually extending the interior space right the way through to the property’s outer edges when open.
The concrete slabs run parallel to the facade, creating a smooth, uniform look. This effect is only interrupted in one place, where two concrete elements run across the facade to form the sweeping entrance hall. On the western side, the building is single-storey and houses the living area, kitchen, dining area and adjoining rooms.
On the south-eastern side, however, it extends to two stories, with a child’s bedroom, guest bedroom and bathrooms on the ground floor and a self-contained area with a studio, bedroom, dressing room and bathroom on the upper floor. These two living floors are connected by a single flight of stairs, while another leads down to the basement, which is only visible from the driveway due to the slope of the land.
The interior design of the ground floor is dominated by a built-in, sandblasted concrete core that separates the entrance area from the living space. Besides the cloakroom and some shelving, it also features a double-sided tunnel fireplace that provides a welcoming, cosy atmosphere both in the living area and the entrance itself. Set one step lower, the spacious, open-plan living area is a magnificent room with tall ceilings. A superb view unites the living space, dining area and kitchen. One eye-catching feature is the kitchen island, with its rounded corners and the extractor hood overhead. It is dark green and fitted with an Arzo marble worktop from the Mendrisio region.
The slope-facing part of the ground plan offers up another surprise in the form of a lush, enclosed garden that serves as a backbone and the actual center of the building. This green island is an homage to the rich flora of South America and makes reference to the owner’s Colombian origins. The inner garden, which has a large skylight overhead, runs alongside the wide corridor.
Immediately off it is an open atrium that brings daylight into the adjoining guest bedroom. A long expanse of varnished wood wall paneling stretches from the inner garden through the living area and all the way across to the front of the kitchen units. Concealed doors are integrated into the paneling and lead through to adjoining rooms, such as the cloakroom, a lavatory for visitors, and a small storage room.
Pre-aged, solid-smoked oak parquet flooring extends across the entire ground floor. The upper floor is a dedicated private domain for the client. A studio plus kitchenette and a large terrace leading through to the bedroom and dressing room. An enormous built-in closet separates the bedroom from the dressing room, which receives natural light through two skylights. The master bedroom is on the east-facing side of the building and has its only casement window, offering views over the nearby trees. A freestanding bathtub and a steam shower give it the feel of a mini-wellness retreat.
Project: House With A View
Architects: Architekturbuero Herbert Bruhin
Client: Private
Contractor: Saredi AG
Photographers: Basile Bornand Fotopraxis
