Residential development Hegianwandweg, Zurich
Completed
Familienheim-Genossenschaft Zürich (FGZ)

Conversion and renovation
Renovation of seven apartment buildings dating from 1952, comprising a total of 87 small apartments.
Planning 2022-2023 / Construction 2024-2025

The seven apartment buildings date from 1952 and comprise a total of 87 apartments ranging from one to four rooms. In order to preserve the small, affordable housing units for another forty years, the buildings were renovated in nine phases. During each phase, the residents had to leave their homes for less than two months.

The interiors were upgraded with new kitchens and bathrooms, replacing the fittings installed in the 1980s, as well as a large proportion of the building services. At the same time, the façades were thermally upgraded and all windows and external doors were replaced. Insulation was applied only to the two or three façades of each building with the greatest proportion of solid wall surface. New timber reveals frame the window openings along the access-gallery façades. By contrast, the south façades, which have the highest proportion of openings, were left uninsulated, avoiding numerous complex junction details. The roofs were renewed with additional insulation installed above the existing rafters, while integrated photovoltaic systems now form the new roof covering. Following the renovation, the group of buildings once again presents a coherent architectural appearance, recalling the original character of the residential development.

The valuable, mature green spaces that have evolved over decades were preserved through the restrained approach to the interventions. They continue to shape the residential setting at the foot of the Üetliberg and will do so for decades to come.