Located in Châtelaine's district in Geneva, Cedar Housing responds to a residential zone's upcoming densification. With projects for small buildings and commercial activities nearby, the area, now characterized by individual houses, is set to change. Cedar Housing is the first dwelling of its kind. It reenacts adjoining houses' typology to offer a gradual shift towards a denser urban plan.
Cedar Housing, as its name reveals, is centered on a centenary-old cedar. The tree tells of the history of the site and gives it stamina. It was fundamental to preserve and to highlight, which influenced the design of the building considerably. The layout follows the tree's vegetal belt in a semi-circular fashion. Curves show both in plan and cross-section, as upper floors offset to give some terraces and reinforce the tree's presence.
With its tiered shape, the ensemble reminds of an arena. The courtyard surrounding the tree offers shared open spaces. While this side of the building focuses on collectivity, the garden front conversely provides intimacy and retreat. These outdoor spatial qualities are possible because of the volumes' dents and increases, dividing the various blocks into an assemblage of tree houses.
The housing consists of triplexes lined up next to one another, with duplexes on each end. Each unit benefits from a unique viewing angle and light exposure. Inhabitants also enjoy a private entrance with a threshold replicating a house's experience.
Upon entering one's home, we arrive straight into the living area. The so-called farmhouse typology ensures the quality of living while considering each habitation's narrowness. On the ground level, the kitchen acts as a pivot between the dining room, facing the courtyard and its more social life, and the living room, gazing at the backyard for more privacy. The staircase follows the interior in its length and invites us to a journey guided by natural light focal points. On the upper floors, rooms' large windows and terraces prolong the relation to nature.
Materials respond to the vegetal environment. Wood strips of different colors, sizes, and textures come out either horizontally or vertically on the facades. By dissociating the cladding on each volume, the architects alter our perception of scale. This effect visually reduces the building's size and blends it with its residential neighborhood further.
Sustainability-wise, the building holds the Minergie-P label and Switzerland's THPE certification for very high energy performance. Care in the choice of materials, installation of a heat pump, and insulation of the envelope contributed to reaching such requirements. These standards are now mandatory for new constructions of the type in the country.
