Landgarten

Stallikon, Switzerland
1st prize in open competition
2023 – ongoing

The Landgarten project intends to strengthen and enhance the historical village centre of Stallikon and will provide affordable, mixed-generation living. The project, a partnership between the municipality of Stallikon and the Hofgarten cooperative, comprises of 63 new homes for families and elderly, a new village square and supporting public and collective functions, such as a group practice and a new village shop.

From the first documented mention of Stallikon in the 12th century until as late as the 1960s, Stallikon was characterized by its stable and relatively slow growth. Instead of a further gradual expansion from the centre outwards, the historical centre was encompassed by developments and speculations from the last 60 years. The qualities we observe in the old centre: the winding roads, the picturesque density, or the loosely placed and slightly rotated buildings, to name a few, are a result of this slow growth and seem absent in the surrounding more recent developments. The proposed redevelopment of the village centre restores and strengthens the above qualities, which now seem to have fallen into minority.

On a territorial scale, the topography of the valley, the Reppisch stream and the Kantonal street all follow the same north-south axis and strongly shape the current build form of Stallikon. On a smaller scale, however, a series of small paths run from east to west, from the Reppish in the lower valley to the higher forest. The proposal strengthens the historical network by connecting to existing paths and by preserving the permeability of the site of Landgarten project. A proposed car-free sequence of public and semi-public open spaces organises the project and connects the “Rose” building, the new village and the Coccolino school in the north.

Although located close to Zurich, the Landgarten cooperative will have a unique identity by further developing Stallikon's local character, its rural past and, above all, its proximity to the impressive landscape. Therefore, the proposed buildings are organized in such a way as to maximise the relationship with the surrounding nature. Open stairwells arranged along new and existing paths lead to shared open galleries, extending the outdoor space up to the apartment door and providing views of the surrounding forest and valley.

Location: Stallikon, Switzerland
Year: 2023-ongoing
Function: Housing and public facilities
Client: Municipality of Stallikon and Genossenschaft Hofgarten
In collaboration with BÖE studio