The Solution
Formation Architects built a total of 128 residences –70 two and three-storey houses, and 58 flats in four-storey buildings which flank the entrances to the new neighbourhood. The different building types are arranged in long and short rows, are staggered individually, or paired like semi-detached houses. Recessed structures and varying heights, narrow storey-spanning windows, and small balconies give the place the appearance of having been playfully assembled with building blocks.
The design of the cohesive brick façades using Wienerberger’s Marziale brick, which lends the houses serenity and size, is particularly noteworthy. Projecting headers and incised ornamental surfaces create appealing aesthetics. Michael Richter of Formation Architects, says, “We chose a brick with an almost handmade quality.”
Oak timber completes the limited materials palette of the eight house types and three apartment buildings. All residences have a minimum ceiling height of 2.7 metres or feature gallery-like openings; sliding doors allow for variable connections; and terraces on all floors supplement the narrow gardens.
Strong insulation, managed ventilation with heat recovery, triple glazing, photovoltaics, green roofs, and rainwater collection all form part of the environmentally-conscious profile of this neighbourhood. Bicycle storage rooms in each house remind the residents how they themselves can contribute to saving energy.