Residenza Step Tower - E

LOCATION/HISTORY

The development is situated on a flat, rectangular plot of land which extends from the main road into the Maggia Valley to the south, as far as the next crossroad, and is located in the middle of the densely built-up Campagna district, a few steps west of the old town. The space was previously occupied by several smaller residential and commercial buildings. They have now been replaced by a compact structure that makes optimal use of the available space and yet fits in with the prevailing scale of the neighbourhood. The small-sectioned facade of the new building, with its low French windows slightly offset one above the other, is an important part of this bold integration into the neighbourhood.

CONCEPT/ARCHITECTURE

The project consists of two separate residential buildings bordering the two streets and rise from a base that runs the length of the site. It houses a retail space with its entrance on the main road, as well as offices and storage rooms. In addition to the entrance to the sales premises, there is outdoor parking to the west of the base level. To the east, a ramp leads down, providing access to the underground parking garage. The facade on the main street is set back from the alignment and trees have been planted in front of it. Trees in separate planting troughs are also lined up along the setbacks between the residential buildings and the green roof of the base level. A striking hedge runs along the western boundary of the plot.

The north tower on Via Valle Maggia contains six storeys; the south tower on Via Domenico Galli three. The one-and-a-half to four-and-a-half-room apartments are accessed via interior staircase cores. Almost all of them have a corner balcony. The rooftop apartment in the north tower is surrounded by a planted area. The view here extends all the way to Lake Maggiore. All units are equipped with digital controls that can be operated via smartphone. Apartment doors have digital locks which can be controlled by means of a badge or a smartphone. Communication with the facility manager can also take place digitally. A Wall - box is available in the parking garage for charging electric cars.

ENERGIA/PARTICOLARITÀ

The Step Tower complies with the Minergie ® and Greenproperty standards which represent sustainability and energy efficiency. Heating and hot water production are provided by air-to-air heat pumps which also enable “free cooling” in summer. Special noise protection measures prevent disturbances. According to cantonal regulations (Normativa), the heat pump is coupled with a photovoltaic system on the roof. The underfloor heating systems in the apartments reduce the target temperature in the flats by 2-3 degrees in summer mode compared to winter mode.

A particular challenge in this project was the subsoil which turned out to be sandy and had to be redeveloped and rolled with a geogrid and a two-layer 0.45 granulate mixture. In addition, those in charge also had to work intensively to meet the needs of the neighbourhood.