House Kubana, Olten, CH The residential Sulzer is situated at a corner lot of the newly developed residential quarter on the outskirts of Olten. The newly constructed roads connect the plot to the forest situated in the south.
The corner location allows an unobstructable view, over the fields and the forest in the south and the city of Olten in the north. The hillside location allows panoramic views over the city, forests and the hill crest.
In order to capture the stunning views, the building volume rests on pillars to achieve the maximum height possible.
On the ground floor lever under the house, the open parking space is located in addition a storage room hosting the elevator, an open staircase winds over a reflecting pool to the first floor. The staircase is leading into a generous entrance, with a wardrobe to the east, a laundry with a clothesline window are situated in the west. The north wing hosts the master bedroom with bath- and dressing-room as well as an office. A guest room with an extra bathroom is located to the south.
From the entrance an everted staircase leads to the living floor. The attic floor consists of a continuous space with the kitchen facing south central dining area and the living area with a fireplace and great views over the city.
The atrium corresponds to the building regulations, it is a third of the total floor area and is continuously arranged as well, in order to benefit of both city and forest views.
The closed wall on the westside generates an courtyard-like situation protected from any insights. The exterior space becomes part of the interior, extending the living room during the summer months.
The materialization is simple and unpretentious as is corresponds to the architecture affine owners. On differently structured concrete columns, that guaranty the bracing/reinforcement of the hovering/floating volume, sits the formally simple kept building volume, that vaguely recalls the house of Albert Frey and Fred Koch in Syosset, Long island 1932. The facade is made of a pleated metal sheet, that surrounds the building gently.
The windows on the south and north facades are designed as continuous ribbon windows. The mostly closed east and west facades are stocked with a variety of sculptural elements like the staircase, the folded out windows or the large chimney.
Overall the house addresses classical elements of Modern architecture and avoids it’s dogmatism with playful elements. The simple cubic basic form is enriched with different accessories, that impart the house with it’s own identity and character. A complex inside suspensefully contrasts other simplicity.
