The central section of an industrial site with lake views was converted into a large-scale live-work development.
HISTORY AND LOCATION
Horgen is a municipality on the left bank of Lake Zurich. The Oberdorf is located on the slopes of the Zimmerberg, just below the edge of the forest. It owes its name to the Horgen-Oberdorf railway station, at the northern entrance to the Zimmerberg tunnel. Opened in 1897, the tunnel is part of the Zurich-Zug line. The excellent transport connections led to the development of an industrial zone in this idyllic location. The Schweiter textile machine factory was established on the hillside right next to the tracks. The long-established company was sold in 2017 to Winterthur-based textile group Rieter, which relocated its production in 2021. The new owner of the site took advantage of a change in the basic usage rules in the special building regulations of Horgen’s planning and zoning code, which now allowed up to half of the building volume in industrial zones to be used for residential purposes. A design plan drawn up on that basis was approved by the municipality. Once the ensuing development contract was legally binding, development on the site began in 2014. The design plan divides the site into "Garden", "Urban" and "Industrial" zones. Plots B1–B3 are part of the "Industrial" zone right next to the railway tracks. In 2018, the municipality turned the railway site opposite into a central zone. Here, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) is developing a station complex that will create additional new residential and commercial space and a modern transport hub.
CONCEPT AND ARCHITECTURE
A competition was held for building plots B1–B3 in 2019. The existing factory building from 1920 on building plot B1 was converted into 96 loft-style rental apartments and commercial spaces. On building plots B2 and B3, a new build with 137 rental apartments arose using prefabricated timber construction with a row of shops on the ground floor, as well as 300 parking spaces on three levels.
The complex forms an ensemble consisting of a multi-element sequence of the listed factory building and two new long residential buildings that follow the same orientation as the factory building: a three-storey terraced building next to the tracks and an eight-storey row on the hillside. They are separated by a street, Fabrikgasse. This configuration transforms the former industrial site into a contemporary social space. The walkway over the railway tracks continues on through the three-storey terraced building and ends at Fabrikgasse.
A wide flight of steps between the factory building and the row of new buildings on the hillside leads right into the complex. The refined architectural scale and rhythmic façades of the new buildings, with their striking sawtooth forms, indicate residential usage. Loft apartments were built into the existing factory building. The apartments are clearly structured and highly varied, with access via a naturally lit internal road. Double-height spaces and the exposed concrete structure in the historical buildings echo their industrial past.
In the low-rise new build next to the tracks, open arcades on Fabrikgasse provide access to maisonettes and apartments. Inside the building, two atria provide the open-plan kitchens with natural light. All of the residential units have lake views and also benefit from the south-west orientation of the building. In the tall new build on the hillside, the apartments are staggered from façade to façade and enjoy both a south-facing orientation and a breathtaking view of Lake Zurich. Light and shade along with a canon of pastel shades result in a sophisticated tonal harmony across the façades. The materiality combines corrugated metal cladding, perforated in parts, terracotta tiles, fibre cement elements and plastered surfaces, reinforcing the varied expression of the ensemble and the granularity that distinguishes the project.
SUSTAINABILITY
Solar panels on the roofs have a total output of 275 kWp and a projected yield of approx. 251 MWh, which covers roughly half of the electricity consumption of the apartments. The entire real estate project site operates on waste heat from neighbouring offices and commercial buildings. Hot water and heating are generated by heat pumps. The Horgen Oberdorf district is Minergie-ECO certified. The mobility concept for the complex aims to reduce traffic and offers a convenient alternative to private vehicles in the form of Mobility Carsharing, which is located at the railway station. Residents also have the option of using cargo bikes, which are perfect for shopping and smaller deliveries.