Garden TowerGreen Residential Tower Wabern Bern

A diverse range of housing options is planned for the site in Bächtelen which, in order to fit in with the existing heterogeneity of the surrounding area, is not planned as a large-scale development or homogeneous housing typology. On the basis of a market analysis, five different themes were defined: living with a view, courtyard living, living with trees, patio living and balcony living. The area was divided into five building zones. Each zone is assigned specific rules reflecting the theme, on the basis of which the types of building created are intended to enter into a dialogue with the surroundings.

The project theme living with a view led to the design of a new form of high-rise apartment building with an amorphous form which resists any clear typological classification. The tower block is formed on a polygonal footprint and extends its floor area as it rises vertically. It is open on all sides, emphasizing the relationship with the landscape. The building is set back from the street. The resulting gap in the pattern of development reflects the new building sequence. The building rises out of the ascending topography into the form of a tower.

The concrete slabs which project on all sides create a rock-like effect. A rhomboid-patterned metallic mesh is stretched over the porous structure. The fields of view resulting from partial incisions are framed by large metal frames.  The different uses of the encircling balcony slabs determine their form and are developed into the architectural leitmotif. The resulting marginal contour can be read as a re-drawing of the topography of the mountains. The garden develops vertically over the metal mesh enclosing the rock-like main structure, providing shade. The planting is harmonized with the development of the building and its orientation. The floor plans of the apartments are open and determined by their multifaceted orientation and the priority given to free circulation.