Zeitschrift
archithese 1.2014
Swiss Performance
Last December, an unofficial competition was launched by the Swiss Society for Public Benefit (SGG) to find a replacement for the traditional „Schweizerpsalm“ of 1841 – Switzerland’s national anthem since 1981. The new lyrics were to be more contemporary, „modern“, appealing to the general public. Is architecture facing a similar change? Are there facts and points of orientation that need readjusting, or even replacing?
The Swiss architecture scene has retained the privilege to grant following generations new opportunities, thus allowing a slow and gentle re-novation. This might seem an age-mellowed gesture, viewed against the background of the continuing building boom, but it facilitates, without doubt, the emergence of some young, barely known offices like Conen Sigl, Gruppe, Karamuk Kuo or Sauter von Moos, which successfully establish themselves with their first projects. It shall not go unsaid that it’s far from an easy task, in times of high workloads, to create something distinctive, unconventional, something with specific qualities, or, plainly, the better alternative. We were confronted with the task of evaluating an extraordinary number of productions, yet still, we didn’t need to worry about having to extend to a double issue. Exceptional projects remain an exception, while nevertheless having the power to create change, thus legitimizing our documentation.
While last year’s „Swiss Performance“ was mainly dominated by a few large projects like the Parrish Art Museum by H&deM and the Synthes headquarters by Peter Märkli as well as some larger housing projects, this year’s issue sees a selection of smaller, intelligently developed projects. Even the big projects, like the Hofstatt by Meili, Peter Architekten, avoid grand gestures and instead practise judicious cell division. In both cases, considering the existing context is of great significance, subtle interventions show an artistic conception and challenge the petrified norms of the rationality of Swiss building. The Maison de l’Ecriture by Mangeat-Wahlen has to be mentioned as an exception here, once more illustrating the differing direction of western Swiss architecture and seemingly orienting itself, in a rare (and francophile) outward perspective, on Rudy Ricciotti.
Sadly, the completion dates of important buildings cannot always be made to correspond to the release date of „Swiss Performance“, and consequently the expert reader might miss a project like the Pérez Art Museum in Miami by H&deM. A project, however, that is intended to be seen as an integral part of a park landscape should not be reviewed lacking this context. The editors had to recognize, in this case, that „opened“ does not necessarily mean „finished“ nowadays; and in reference to our intended accuracy of reporting, this project review was postponed until next year. A small project outlook in the column section offers short and concise information on this and other highlights of 2014. This is a new addition which joins the sections on built heritage conservation projects and selected Swiss book publications that were successfully added last year.
Looking beyond the „Swiss Performance“, we have created a leporello featuring all coming archithese topics in 2014. True to its name origin from Mozart’s Don Giovanni, it lists the affairs and describes them – meaning everything we can expect to encounter in 2014. Sometimes a serious, sometimes a comical, but always a great performance. Let the show begin!
The editors
10 Shigeru Ban Architects. Tamedia AG Headquarter, Zürich | Florian Dreher
16 Durisch Nolli Architetti und Bearth & Deplazes Architekten. Bundesstrafgericht, Bellinzona | Eberhard Tröger
22 Mangeat-Wahlen Architectes. La Maison de l’Ecriture, Fondation Jan Michalski, Montricher | Adria Daraban
30 GRUPPE mit Richard Wentworth. Black Maria, London | Oliver Domeisen
34 Harry Gugger Studio. Galerie Xavier Hufkens, Brüssel | Katharina Sommer
38 Marcel Meili, Markus Peter Architekten. Hofstatt, München | Hannes Mayer
46 Sauter von Moos Architekten mit Pierre de Meuron. Haus mit einem Baum, Basel | Paula Strunden
52 Atelier Peter Zumthor und Partner. Werkraum Bregenzerwald, Andelsbuch | Ansgar Staudt
56 Andreas Fuhrimann Gabrielle Hächler Architekten. Zielturm Rotsee, Luzern | Katharina Sommer
60 Christian Kerez Architekt. Mehrfamilienhaus, Thalwil | Hubertus Adam
66 Karamuk Kuo Architekten. Kindergarten, Aadorf | Hannes Mayer
70 Vehovar & Jauslin Architektur. Bahnhofplatz, Aarau | Andrea Wiegelmann
74 Graber Pulver Architekten. Kehrichtverbrennungsanlage KVA Bremgartenwald, Bern | Johann Reble
78 Peter Märkli Architekt. Haus für zwei Künstler, Rumisberg | Hubertus Adam
SWISS UNLIMITED
82 Christ & Gantenbein. Gartenhaus, Basel
84 Conen Sigl Architekten. Einfamilienhaus Blümlisalpstrasse, Zürich
86 EM2N Serviceanlage SBB, Zürich
RUBRIKEN
88 Projektvorschau | Florian Dreher und Hannes Mayer
90 Gegenwart einer Umbruchzeit. Erneuerung von Bauten der Dreissigerjahre | Lucía Gratz
96 Architekturbücher 2013 | Florian Dreher
98 fsai
102 Neues aus der Industrie
110 Lieferbare Hefte
112 Vorschau und Impressum
The Swiss architecture scene has retained the privilege to grant following generations new opportunities, thus allowing a slow and gentle re-novation. This might seem an age-mellowed gesture, viewed against the background of the continuing building boom, but it facilitates, without doubt, the emergence of some young, barely known offices like Conen Sigl, Gruppe, Karamuk Kuo or Sauter von Moos, which successfully establish themselves with their first projects. It shall not go unsaid that it’s far from an easy task, in times of high workloads, to create something distinctive, unconventional, something with specific qualities, or, plainly, the better alternative. We were confronted with the task of evaluating an extraordinary number of productions, yet still, we didn’t need to worry about having to extend to a double issue. Exceptional projects remain an exception, while nevertheless having the power to create change, thus legitimizing our documentation.
While last year’s „Swiss Performance“ was mainly dominated by a few large projects like the Parrish Art Museum by H&deM and the Synthes headquarters by Peter Märkli as well as some larger housing projects, this year’s issue sees a selection of smaller, intelligently developed projects. Even the big projects, like the Hofstatt by Meili, Peter Architekten, avoid grand gestures and instead practise judicious cell division. In both cases, considering the existing context is of great significance, subtle interventions show an artistic conception and challenge the petrified norms of the rationality of Swiss building. The Maison de l’Ecriture by Mangeat-Wahlen has to be mentioned as an exception here, once more illustrating the differing direction of western Swiss architecture and seemingly orienting itself, in a rare (and francophile) outward perspective, on Rudy Ricciotti.
Sadly, the completion dates of important buildings cannot always be made to correspond to the release date of „Swiss Performance“, and consequently the expert reader might miss a project like the Pérez Art Museum in Miami by H&deM. A project, however, that is intended to be seen as an integral part of a park landscape should not be reviewed lacking this context. The editors had to recognize, in this case, that „opened“ does not necessarily mean „finished“ nowadays; and in reference to our intended accuracy of reporting, this project review was postponed until next year. A small project outlook in the column section offers short and concise information on this and other highlights of 2014. This is a new addition which joins the sections on built heritage conservation projects and selected Swiss book publications that were successfully added last year.
Looking beyond the „Swiss Performance“, we have created a leporello featuring all coming archithese topics in 2014. True to its name origin from Mozart’s Don Giovanni, it lists the affairs and describes them – meaning everything we can expect to encounter in 2014. Sometimes a serious, sometimes a comical, but always a great performance. Let the show begin!
The editors
10 Shigeru Ban Architects. Tamedia AG Headquarter, Zürich | Florian Dreher
16 Durisch Nolli Architetti und Bearth & Deplazes Architekten. Bundesstrafgericht, Bellinzona | Eberhard Tröger
22 Mangeat-Wahlen Architectes. La Maison de l’Ecriture, Fondation Jan Michalski, Montricher | Adria Daraban
30 GRUPPE mit Richard Wentworth. Black Maria, London | Oliver Domeisen
34 Harry Gugger Studio. Galerie Xavier Hufkens, Brüssel | Katharina Sommer
38 Marcel Meili, Markus Peter Architekten. Hofstatt, München | Hannes Mayer
46 Sauter von Moos Architekten mit Pierre de Meuron. Haus mit einem Baum, Basel | Paula Strunden
52 Atelier Peter Zumthor und Partner. Werkraum Bregenzerwald, Andelsbuch | Ansgar Staudt
56 Andreas Fuhrimann Gabrielle Hächler Architekten. Zielturm Rotsee, Luzern | Katharina Sommer
60 Christian Kerez Architekt. Mehrfamilienhaus, Thalwil | Hubertus Adam
66 Karamuk Kuo Architekten. Kindergarten, Aadorf | Hannes Mayer
70 Vehovar & Jauslin Architektur. Bahnhofplatz, Aarau | Andrea Wiegelmann
74 Graber Pulver Architekten. Kehrichtverbrennungsanlage KVA Bremgartenwald, Bern | Johann Reble
78 Peter Märkli Architekt. Haus für zwei Künstler, Rumisberg | Hubertus Adam
SWISS UNLIMITED
82 Christ & Gantenbein. Gartenhaus, Basel
84 Conen Sigl Architekten. Einfamilienhaus Blümlisalpstrasse, Zürich
86 EM2N Serviceanlage SBB, Zürich
RUBRIKEN
88 Projektvorschau | Florian Dreher und Hannes Mayer
90 Gegenwart einer Umbruchzeit. Erneuerung von Bauten der Dreissigerjahre | Lucía Gratz
96 Architekturbücher 2013 | Florian Dreher
98 fsai
102 Neues aus der Industrie
110 Lieferbare Hefte
112 Vorschau und Impressum
Weiterführende Links:
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