© Rasmus Norlander ; Jon Naiman

• Architects: E2A
• Location: Zürich, Switzerland
• Architect In Charge: E2A
• Design Team: Wim Eckert, Piet Eckert mit Mireya Sánchez Gómez und Sabine Ameling, Marta Devesa, Kaori Hirasawa, Martin Janser, Ilja Maksimov, Judith Mampe, Tânia Roque, Valentino Sandri, Alexander Struck, Renate Wal- ter, Rafal Wójcik
• Project Year: 2015
• Photographs: Rasmus Norlander ; Jon Naiman

• General Contractor: Allco AG, Zurich
• Construction Management: Allco AG,
• Structural Engineering: JägerPartner AG Bauingenieure SIA, Zurich
• Landscape Consulting: Nipkow Landschaftsarchitektur AG
• Zürich Building Physics: Zehnder & Kälin AG
• Winterthur
Mep: P. Gerber Haustechnik GmbH
• Schwerzenbach
Electric Engineering: Meteor AG
• Pfäffikon
Artistic Collaboration: Hans-Peter Kistler, Beinwil
• Client: Credit Suisse Real Estate Fund Siat, a real estate fund of Credit Suisse AG

© Rasmus Norlander ; Jon Naiman

Location

From the architect. The site of the Escherpark building, a clearly defined block just outside of Zurich’s city center, is located in the immediate vicinity of numerous cultural institutions and spacious parks. With several schools and recreational areas within walking distance and a physical relationship to the nearby lake, the opportunely situated area is ideal for a residential development. The Escherpark project new construction reacts to the local, semi-urban struc- ture of irregularly scaled, detached buildings and develops an ensemble of eleven buildings out of four unique volume types.

© Rasmus Norlander ; Jon Naiman

Ground Floor Plan

In contrast to the existing built context, the new design actively choreographs the subtle variations in outdoor space. The free space between the buildings stretches like a park as a meandering field of vegetation; a system of paths leads through the space, making this inner world between the buildings accessible.

© Rasmus Norlander ; Jon Naiman

In addition to the differences between the buildings themselves, the way the volumes fit into the terrain intro- duces further variation in orientation and positioning of residences, as well as in their physical and visual relationships to the gardens and to one another. While every apartment is a unique experience from within, all offer framed views of the dense garden.

Model

The exterior simplicity of the façade – intended as discrete background to the vegetation – is accomplished through a vertical, ventilated wood façade. Floor-to-ceiling glazing is shaded by shutters of wooden slats identi- cal to the façade. The wood is treated for fire safety such that no chemical components are required to guaran- tee its longevity.

© Rasmus Norlander ; Jon Naiman

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