Birkahus
YEAR
2016-2020
LOCATION
Mauren
COLLABORATION
Hansjörg Hilti
Birkahus is a place for people with special needs. The project was designed to both integrate into the existing ensemble of buildings and provide a diverse, comfortable environment for its inhabitants.
The three floors are conceived as small villages. Each resident has a private unit with a sleeping area, balcony, and bathroom. In front of every unit there is a personal letterbox and a small entrance marked by an individual light.
The units are connected to one another and to shared spaces such as offices, kitchen, dining room, and living room by an interior “street”. Each private unit is characterised by a distinct colour, visible both from the exterior and from the interior street.
Structurally, the building follows a modular system. Each unit is housed within an individual wooden box, which were stacked during construction. Only the stairwell is constructed in concrete, serving as the main vertical circulation and as a connection to the existing buildings on the campus.
Over time, we have been developing both the buildings and the surrounding landscape to create a supportive environment for residents and staff, while strengthening Birkahof’s role within Mauren. The shop acts as an interface and meeting point between the complex and the village.
