In a study commission for the ecological-ethical pension fund Nest Sammelstiftung, which was created in collaboration with the project developer befair partners ag, a new residential complex should be built in Oberengstringen. The new building is expected to be of high ecological, economic and socio-cultural quality. OOS has developed a design based on the principle of maximum CO2 savings and thus narrowly misses out on the competition.
The architecture surprises in expression by approaching the locally predominant language of the building structures, which mainly date from the 1960s, and thus blends into the existing context in a restrained manner. The design envisages two buildings with a total of 21 residential units.
Each floor has its own individual character. The floor plans, which are easy to furnish, can be used in a variety of ways. The static timber construction system of columns and slabs with Timber Structures 3.0 technology is a novelty and offers maximum flexibility in room design, both today and for future conversions.
The construction consists mainly of natural and low-CO2 materials such as wood, straw, clay and sandstone. The window areas are designed for good natural interior lighting. Ventilation is manual via the windows. The orientation of the building and the degree of opening of the façade optimise solar gain. The minimum energy requirement for the building services is covered by a PV system on the roof, so that the building is CO2-neutral in operation.
The landscaping with gravel areas, rough pastures, trees and shrubs as well as local sandstone promotes biodiversity and avoids sealed surfaces as much as possible. It invites visitors to linger and play with a variety of activities. An underground gallery was not built in order to save grey energy and construction costs.
