Zurich: New replacement building planned for Werdhölzli estate
The Foundation for Retirement Apartments of the City of Zurich is planning to replace its Werdhölzli housing estate in Zurich-Altstetten. The winner of the architectural competition has now been chosen.
The new replacement building, which is to be completed by 2026, will create around 70 apartments, 30 more than before. For the first time, cluster apartments will also be realized, and day care for the elderly is also planned. Commercial space, studios and community rooms are planned for the first floor. An attractive green space will create connections to the surrounding neighborhood.
The Werdhölzli housing estate was built in 1973 on behalf of the Gemeinschaftshaus Zürich cooperative. At the beginning of 2000, the Stiftung Alterswohnungen der Stadt Zürich (SAW) acquired the estate and the land. Due to the state of the building, which was in need of renovation, and the high utilization potential on the property, the SAW decided to build a replacement building. The architectural competition was won by the Wiedehopf project of the Knorr & Pürckhauer Architekten / Linea Landscape Architecture team.
The design envisages a linear structure 30 meters high that makes reference to the surrounding high-rise buildings and creates noise-protected areas with a staggered floor plan. Along the streetcar terminus, a two-story low-rise building with a light-flooded roof structure is planned. (ah)
