Three buildings of the residential complex "Chilestig" are located on a plot of 6,500 m2, bounded by the street of the same name from the north and Glattalstrasse from the east. The fairly free development of the area allowed the architects to surround the entire complex with trees: the buildings (they occupy only 1600 m2 in total) are located practically in the park. Their small, human-sized height of three to four floors is also largely determined by the surrounding houses. In terms of the buildings, they have a somewhat unusual shape in the form of an irregular, flattened hexagon that really resembles a crystal.
Further development of the image is provided by 3 mm thick galvanized steel sheets selected for the curtain walls. The gray surfaces gleam in the sun and reflect the foliage of the trees, flirting with the surroundings. At the same time, smooth steel sheets help to clearly define all the edges and further emphasize the crystal-like shape of the buildings. To top it off, they are sized so that the pattern of the seams echoes the rhythm of the window openings, forming a kind of lattice. These rigidly lined facades are one of the favorite techniques of baumschlager eberle architects.
Despite the deliberately cold, even slightly "prison" nature of external solutions, the internal spaces are quite comfortable and have all the characteristics necessary for modern housing. A usable area of 4300 m2 is occupied by 41 apartments with one, two or three bedrooms. Each one faces at least two sides, has a loggia and large panoramic windows in the living room, catching maximum sunlight. And for the owners of apartments on the ground floor there is even a small garden of their own.
