Zwinglistrasse - E

HISTORY/LOCATION

The Zwinglistrasse street starts at Blumenbergplatz on the eastern edge of the old town of St. Gallen. After a gentle curve to the left, it climbs straight and steadily upwards to the southwest through the Rosenberg district. On the curve, at the entrance to the square, the Kino Rex cinema was opened on the hillside in 1952. It closed its doors in 2018. HRS was able to acquire the plot, which borders the steep, historic Knottergässlein alleyway to the west. Its location in the leafy residential district combines with its immediate proximity to the vibrant cultural and leisure offerings of the city centre in two high-quality apartment buildings. During the planning phase, the cinema was occasionally made available for interim use.

CONCEPT/ARCHITECTURE

The new development consists of two tower blocks with flat roofs: an eight-storey townhouse on the street and an elevated three-storey garden house behind it, which has a three-storey terraced house attached to it. The two blocks rise out of a base area, dividing the outdoor space above the street into a series of green terraces. The complex is eight storeys high. The lowest storey is at the level of Zwinglistrasse, where the front area at the former entrance to the cinema features a commercial establishment with a small area oriented towards Blumenbergplatz. To the west, after a bend in the façade, the striking entrance and the access to the car park are right on the road. On the level above, the first apartements with outdoor terraces are located in the townhouse, as well as cellar rooms at the inner connection between the two separate parts of the complex above. Two storeys higher, the rear building can be accessed from the Knottergässchen alleyway. The garden house and the adjoining terraced house have their own separate address here.

The development offers a wide range of housing options. The 17 condominium apartments have between one and three bedrooms. All have loggias, balconies or part of the artificially terraced grounds. They offer a beautiful view of the city centre of St. Gallen. The terraced house has an extensive garden on two levels. Columns of balconies, avant-corps on the corners and a bay window in the townhouse afford views in different directions and a good amount of natural light. Overall, the architecture fits in well in the existing neighbourhood. The redesigned terrace resembles the historical terrain that existed before the cinema was built. The façade design and its materials are inspired by traditional local construction methods. This urban complex reimagines alternating plaster and brick surfaces, combining them with concrete sills, for example. Such details make it easier to integrate into the neighbourhood.