Renovation of a terraced Single-Family House

Focus on further construction in existing buildings

How can a terraced house from the 1920s be adapted to today's living needs without losing its historic character? In Zurich-Wollishofen, a house in the listed Meisenweg housing estate was carefully transformed. The renovation combines historical substance with contemporary design – precise, restrained, and with an eye on the ensemble.

The terraced house at Meisenweg 5 in Zurich-Wollishofen was built in 1924 and is part of the Meisenweg housing estate, which is listed in the City of Zurich's special inventory as a late example of the Romantic-influenced Heimatstil (Homeland Style). The estate forms an enclosed residential courtyard with front gardens, short staircases, and a remarkably homogenous appearance in terms of volume, choice of materials, and color scheme. It was designed by Zurich architect Friedrich Hirsbrunner, who followed the garden city concept of Raymond Unwin and Hans Bernoulli—an urban planning concept that sought to combine living in green spaces, social diversity, and communal living. Originally built by a cooperative to provide affordable housing, the houses are now privately owned, although their typological clarity and urban planning order have largely been preserved.

At Meisenweg 5, the existing structure was further developed to accommodate new living needs. The renovation, designed for a young family, followed a careful concept: interventions were carried out in a targeted and restrained manner, strengthening the existing structure and bringing the interior up to contemporary standards. Characteristic elements such as the herringbone beech floors, the striking oak staircase, and the honeycomb-shaped ceramic tiles in the kitchen were retained, supplemented, or reinterpreted. The design elements are finely tuned to the existing structure and respect its expression. The roof was renovated for energy efficiency and thermally upgraded – a first step toward a long-term planned ecological heating solution.

A key intervention involves the previously barely used attic, which has been completely converted. Two small rooms and a toilet have been transformed into two bright children's bedrooms with gallery levels, a separate bathroom, and a compact workroom. By opening up to the ridge, exposing the roof beams, and a continuous birch soffit, the attic gains a sense of spaciousness and spatial quality. Solid spruce flooring and precisely placed skylights emphasize the homely character and ensure even lighting.

The spatial organization on the upper floor was also revised: The existing second kitchen was demolished to make room for a larger bathroom with an adjoining dressing room. The two spacious bedrooms, with their original herringbone parquet flooring, were refreshed. On the ground floor, the living room now opens onto the dining room, creating a coherent sequence of rooms with greater spaciousness and views of the garden. The previously open-plan bathroom was rezoned and now serves as a cloakroom and guest toilet. Relocating the kitchen entrance creates a clear spatial axis that visually and functionally connects the two garden areas.

Throughout the entire building, the focus was on engaging with the existing structure and considering appropriate further development. Materials and details were carefully selected and precisely coordinated with the historical fabric. Where new interventions remain visible, they are deliberately differentiated – for example, where a gap in the parquet floor created by the wall opening on the ground floor was filled with cement: a quiet but clear trace of transformation. Thus, the character of the building remains legible, while its spatial and functional qualities are enhanced in a contemporary way.