The residential hinge at Embraport
As part of the Embraport 2025 strategy, a new residential development is planned in the western area of the logistics site in Embrach. Due to its location between the large-scale halls of the port and the small-scale neighborhood, this development plays a crucial role as a mediator in the urban space. A two-stage design competition sought suitable solutions for this sensitive situation with a pivotal function. The design by the team led by Mathis Kamplade Architekten and Mettler Landschaftsarchitektur, supported by the structural engineers from Lüchinger+Meyer, was awarded first place. The jury praised the contribution for its differentiated and elegant architectural expression, innovative character, the right degree of form plasticity, demonstrated atmospheres and identities, landscape architectural and access-related features, appropriate materials, meticulous tectonics, but also mature product, usage, and functional concepts, all of which contributed to the clear victory.
The project comprises three crystalline-shaped building volumes with two high points. The load bearing structure is a timber skeleton construction with an efficient span width. The horizontal stability is achieved through the concrete cores and apartment partition walls. By skillfully shaping the curves of the facade in the outer shell and inner installation layer, the load-bearing facade elements remain straight and can be produced economically. The timber floor elements span perpendicular to the facade. With a height of 2.55 meters in the living spaces, the wood-concrete composite floor are dimensioned for a 6-meter span. The glulam beam following the installation zone spans 4 meters, and the beam along the facade spans the windows and are integrated into the floor thickness.
Additionally, the chosen building materials achieved excellent results in terms of sustainability.
Visualisations: Mathis Kamplade Architekten, Zurich
