| code | mano panthea |
| project | urban densification: housing 1-4 bedroom apartments |
| type | invited competition |
| size | 66’300 m2 |
| budget | – |
| client | city of winterthur, collectives GEbW WGT HGW GWG |
| collaboration | andreas fuhrimann gabrielle hächler architekten, robin winogrond landscape designer |
| location | talgut winterthur, ch |
| year | 2009 |
| status | exhibited + completed |
Mano Panthea
The area is read as an ensemble of ‚floes' distinguishing each other by their typologies of built and open space. Like a ‚hand’, the 3 floes are bound together. The northern floe with solitary volumes forms the palm, which docks onto the city.
The middle floe like nuckles mediates between the north and the ‚fingers’ of the southern floe. Green corridors cross the floes in both directions. Form north to south, density dereases and typologies of built and open space and vegetation change.
The southern floe is marked by linear open spaces convey a sense of dense garden city. Loosly planted entrace yards alternate with densly blossoming back gardens. An alley strings the linear yards logether like a spine an connects them with the east and western playgrounds. The angular volumes of the middle floe frame a sequence of permeable squares. They serve as communication and meeting spaces for the neighbouring buildings. The buildings hold loggias, small gardens, and terrasses wihich interlink with the semi-private squares.
Public space frames the ege of north floe and indents with its compact and solitary buildings. South facing balconies run along their fassades and overlook the urban space of the widened sidewalks.
The longuish volumes of housing of the southern floe lie orthogonally to the streets. Their vertically and horizontally additioned duplex appartments dispose each of an private garden or terrace with view. They are accessed through individual entrances and stairs, which connect them directly to the underground parking and cellars. Thanks to an ingenious system, bedrooms can be swiched and various sizes of appartments be generated despite an unchanged static structure. This allows at the same time generous appartments as well as an economic and compact structure. A proportion of appartments is directly accessible by elevator or from ground level for the needs of disabled people.
