DOW House D / Dettling Architekturstudio

DOW House D / Dettling Architekturstudio

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Text description provided by the architects. On the outskirts of Winterthur, a new residential building blends into a neighborhood built in the fifties. Wide plots of land with set-back villas and well-tended gardens characterize the picture. Pines, spruces, and deciduous trees tower over the houses and provide a view of the Eschenberg in the spaces in between. A two-story detached house with a large garden has existed on the property on a private road for 60 years.

The owners wanted a smaller, independent, low-maintenance living space for their old age. A new house between the existing villa and the private road meets this requirement and allows maximum use of the property.

The new building should fit in with the two- to three-story buildings on the street, provide access to the garden, and open up views of the Eschenberg mountain opposite. A simple house with a pitched roof faces the street and creates a counterpart to the existing houses. A new common forecourt provides access to both houses and serves as a representative arrival and parking area. The living space is distributed over three floors, which open onto all sides. The lowest floor houses the entrance, a studio, and ancillary rooms. In the middle, there is a continuous living area with access to a private garden. On the top floor are the bedrooms with views of the landscape.

A central staircase is relevant to the structural design of the house, divides the rooms, and leaves space for their use. This arrangement allows one to move freely in a circular motion on the two main floors, thus experiencing all directions of the horizon. This peculiarity is reflected on the facade by a horizontally articulated structure. Large window belts articulate the main facade to the street and to the view. Construction in wood with a painted larch facade locates the house in the suburban context and takes up the idea of the “Stöckli”, which allows two generations to live together in proximity and distance.

The interior is characterized by fixtures in Elsbeer wood, which run through all rooms. Large sliding doors separate the individual rooms and allow for open use. Sideboards, shelves, and cabinets provide storage and invite the user to sit. The high-quality finishes contrast with the white-painted walls and ochre flooring used throughout the house.