Minimalissimo

Detached House

architecture
Location
Aarau, Switzerland
Architecture
Gautschi Lenzin Schenker

Located in the Swiss town of Aarau sits a bauhaus-style detached house designed by architects Gautschi Lenzin Schenker. The minimalist house is a composition of several concrete bodies. Two volumes with garages for the old and new building span the ground floor. The upper-storey structure is laterally offset inwards and protrudes on the street and garden side. The upward rejuvenation of the structure is based on the neighbouring building with a gabled roof.

The entrance to the house is on the street side between the two garages. The living and dining area opens up to the garden with large glazing. The extension of the equipment room, which protrudes into the garden, zones the outdoor spaces of the old and new building. The upper floor houses the bedrooms with the adjoining rooms. The rooms face the neighbourhood on all sides.

The facade surface was formed with OSB panels and the wall sections with facade openings are set back and smooth. Overall, this leads to a differentiated design of the sculptural building. The attached door fronts are made of light-coloured metal to create an exciting material contrast to the concrete. The exposed concrete facades form the load-bearing system, while on the inside a facing made of mineral panels forms the thermal insulation level. This is covered with lime plaster and contributes to a pleasant indoor climate.

In the shop