Subject of the competition was a currently vacant site in Speicher, canton Appenzell Ausserrhoden. The site is owned by the municipality and will be provided for a residential development – a typical “urban sprawl task” in the agglomeration of St. Gallen.
As a spine of the development, we suggested a vertically oriented internal space that allows easy orientation for residents and guests. It also releases the view into the countryside and the village in regular intervals, in particular towards the village church. The buildings are arranged so that the views for individual apartments is optimized. Also, the buildings also are grouped into individual “homesteads”, improving identification for the inhabitants with their living environment and creating an address that is easy to find for visitors.
The design works with the three different typological principles Townhouse, Apartment, and Duplex apartments with studios. The focus is on family-friendly forms of housing. The bases of all buildings are constructed in solid concrete. The upper floors are clad in a horizontally structured facade of prefabricated wooden elements alluding to local building traditions.
