ARCH/SCAPES Negotiating Architecture and Landscape

The Swiss contribution to the 7th International Architecture Biennial São Paulo 2007 ‘Architecture – The Public and the Private’ will now be on display in Basel at S AM – Swiss Architecture Museum.
An exhibition by the Swiss Confederation represented by the Swiss Federal Office of Culture, curated by Francesca Ferguson and realised by S AM – Swiss Architecture Museum

ARCH/SCAPES focuses upon 15 new architecture within the heterogeneous cultural landscape of Switzerland, the urban and peri-urban areas, the village typologies of the alpine landscapes and the burgeoning agglomeration. Switzerland’s landscapes – in particular the rural and alpine typologies – are considered public terrain, and a precious asset. New architecture that is to be developed within this landscape is the result of complex democratic processes in which not only the communities or states, but also numerous public bodies protecting the Swiss traditions, have a decisive voice. Concerted moves to preserve traditional building types – from the chalet to the cow pen and the ski hut – mean that with few exceptions, architecture that intends a radical relationship with a given context will not survive a public referendum. However, the Swiss cultural landscape is becoming increasingly urbanised and it is within this contemporary reality that new architecture is shown to negotiate a balance between context and form.

How can the architect modernise, adapt, and advance the design of Swiss architecture beyond the legal restrictions defined by society at large? The wide range of featured buildings have been chosen for the skill with which innovative forms have been devised, and new positions negotiated. The subtle manner in which legal obstacles have been reinterpreted in favour of unfamiliar forms and new materials is a defining process, one that maintains the balance between the needs and desires of the client and public opinion. In particular we reveal the processes by which buildings set a new accent within a context, in dialogue with the landscape, thus establishing an unusual sense of scale or reinterpreting traditional typologies.

ARCH/SCAPES features the following new Swiss architecture:

Musical Theater ‘Theater 11’. Zürich, 2006
EM2N Architekten | Mathias Müller | Daniel Niggli, Zürich
ausgezeichnet mit:
• International Architecture Award 2007, Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design

Kommunale Wohnsiedlung ‘Rautistrasse. Zürich, 2009
UNDEND Architektur AG, Zürich

Wohnsiedlung ‘Leimbachviertel’. Zürich, 2005
pool Architekten, Zürich
ausgezeichnet mit:
• Goldener Hase 2005, Hochparterre und SF DRS
• AR Awards for Emerging Architecture 2006, Honourable Mention
• Auszeichnung guter Bauten im Kanton Zürich 2006, Anerkennung

Orti condivisi – Der gemeinsame Garten. Chiasso, 2006
Officina del Paesaggio, Sophie Agata Ambroise, Lugano

Werkerweiterung der Fensterfabrik Baumgartner AG. Hagendorn, 2006
Niklaus Graber & Christoph Steiger Architekten, Luzern
ausgezeichnet mit:
• Deutscher Landschaftsarchitekturpreis 2007, 1. Preis
Auszeichnung des Bundes deutscher Landschaftsarchitekten
• Award „best architetcs 08“, Die besten Architekturbüros im deutschsprachigen Raum
• Silberner Hase 2006, Hochparterre und SF DRS
• Auszeichnung „Umsicht | Regards | Sguardi“ 2006, SIA

Casa Gobbi. Tegna, 2004
Luigi Snozzi, Locarno

Casa ‘Le Terrazze’. Lugano, 2004
Giraudi Wettstein Architekten ETH / BSA / SIA, Lugano
ausgezeichnet mit:
• Architekturpreis 2007, Anerkennung, SIA Ticino
• Preis der Holger Reiners Stiftung 2005

Atelier- und Wohnhaus. Haldenstein, 2005
Architekturbüro Peter Zumthor, Haldenstein

Konzept für ein Dorf. Vrin
Gion A. Caminada Architekt BSA / SIA, Vrin
ausgezeichnet mit:
• Auszeichnung „Umsicht | Regards | Sguardi“ 2006, SIA
• Holzbaupreis Graubünden 2004, für Stiva da morts in Vrin
• Prix Lignum 1998, für Ställe und Schlachthaus in Vrin

Stall für 30 Kühe. Lignières, 2005
Local Architecture, Lausanne

Erweiterung eines Ferienchalets. Crans Montana, 2005
Bonnard / Woeffray Architectes FAS SIA, Monthey

Atelierhaus. Scharans, 2007
Valerio Olgiati, Chur
ausgezeichnet mit:
• Brozener Hase 2007, Hochparterre und SF DRS

Traversiner Steg. Via Mala, 2005
Conzett, Bronzini, Gartmann AG, Chur
ausgezeichnet mit:
• Graubünder Holzbaupreis 2007, 2. Rang
• Ideenpool Holz 21, Auszeichnung

Aussichtsplattform. Flims, 2006
Corinna Menn Architektin ETH/SIA, Chur
ausgezeichnet mit:
• Prix Acier 2007, Anerkennung, Stahlbau Zentrum Schweiz

Neue Monte-Rosa-Hütte. 2009
Studio Monte Rosa, Prof. Andrea Deplazes, Marcel Baumgartner, Departement Architektur, ETH Zürich