Hochbord
Dübendorf, Switzerland 2020–present
Client: Private client
This project is a private commission for a residential development in the heart of the Hochbord district in Dübendorf, Switzerland, a quarter shaped by decades of dynamic transformation. Amidst this urban evolution, the remaining greenhouses evoke memories of the fields that once dominated the landscape, bearing witness to the delicate coexistence of past and present.
The proposed layout carefully negotiates the boundary between interior and exterior, establishing a clear differentiation while maintaining a sense of openness. A enclosure around the periphery of the plot creates the impression of a generous garden, while the interplay between low and high buildings frames a vast internal landscape. From afar, residential towers will punctuate the skyline, creating a contemporary silhouette reminiscent of San Gimignano, bridging history and modernity in a single, striking composition.
At ground level, the scheme unfolds around a vibrant, accessible floor that directly connects to the garden. Here, family-oriented apartments find their place, while the towers, with their panoramic vistas, invite contemplation of the surrounding landscape and horizon. The contrast between intimate garden spaces and elevated viewpoints creates a layered spatial experience, where everyday living and reflection coexist.
“I wish to speak a word for Nature, for absolute freedom and wildness, as contrasted with a freedom and culture merely civil, — to regard man as an inhabitant, or a part and parcel of Nature, rather than a member of society.” Though Henry David Thoreau’s 1862 words may seem increasingly radical today, bordering on the utopian, their call for open space and human connection to nature remains profoundly compelling.
The true fascination of this project emerges from the tension it navigates: between the natural landscape and the growing city, between public vitality and private retreat, between commerce and residence. It is precisely in this delicate balance that the site’s promise and poetic resonance reside.
Drawings
Site Plan
Ground Floor Plan
Second Floor Plan
Fourth Floor Plan
Upper Floors Plan
Section through inner courtyard
Elevation Industriestrasse
Site
Model: a landscape of towers and low building blocks surrounding a large inner garden
Historic photograph of the site anno 1953
Historic photograph of the family who owns the land
References
Oriel Chamber by Peter Ellis, Liverpool, 1864
Oriel Chamber by Peter Ellis, Liverpool, 1864
Holland House by H. P. Berlage, London, 1916
Holland House by H. P. Berlage, London, 1916
The Grundtvig’s Church by Peder Vilhelm Jensen-Klint, Copenhagen, 1927
Credits
Location
Dübendorf, Switzerland
Date
2020-ongoing
Client
Private client
Area
88,000 m2
Caruso St John Architects
Adam Caruso, Peter St John, Florian Zierer
Project architect(s)
Julia Cramer (2025 - ongoing), Thomas Klement (2021 - 2022), Thomas Wirz (2020, 2024 - ongoing)
Project team
Lian Arnold, Deepanshi Arora, Aleksandra Cvetkovska, Lucius Delsing, Carmen Höhener, Lucia Medina, Kamen Nikov, Dongyong Oh, Silvia Pfaffhauser, Andrea Sandell, Desirée Schäfer, Ferdinand Schmidt, Matilde Torri
Structural engineer
Basler & Hofmann AG
Services engineer
Bogenschütz AG
Client project manager
Romano Partner
Electrical Engineer
Enerpeak AG
Building Physics
BAKUS AG
Façade engineering
LÜCHINGER MEYER PARTNER AG
Landscape architect
Antón Landschaft
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