The property at Limmattalstrasse 149/151 was built in 1907 and is located in the heart of the Höngg district. Its division into commercial use on the ground floor and apartments on the upper floors dates back to its original use. Today, the former bakery serves as a workshop, while the upper floors house three- and four-room apartments. The attic rooms are largely unused.

Limmattalstrasse 149/151, Archive photo

The renovation aims to preserve the affordable living space in the long term and create additional living space in the attic. The choice of the residential layout sets the course early on for energy- and resource-efficient renovation.

In the part of the building at Limmattalstrasse 151, the newly converted attic will be combined with the second floor to create a maisonette apartment. The apartment on the first floor can be renovated without any structural alterations (blue). In the part of the building at Limmattalstrasse 149, a large, multi-story apartment with eleven rooms (green) is being created. This eliminates the need for costly fire and sound insulation measures, ensures a cost-efficient renovation, and provides a diverse range of housing options. The commercial units on the ground floor will be retained and, thanks to simple conversion measures, will offer flexible space for commercial use (orange).

The existing staircase, with its distinctive character, will provide internal access through the large apartment across the floors. The removal of the former apartment doors and partition walls between the staircase and the apartment corridors provides significant spatial and atmospheric benefits. The new skylight above the staircase further emphasizes the original structure.

The resource-saving approach to renovation is also consistently reflected in the choice of materials. All undamaged materials and surfaces are consistently preserved, repaired, and reused. For example, the new earthquake-proof screw connections in the floor slabs are visible in order to preserve the existing parquet flooring. This means that the renovation measures will still be visible after the refurbishment. Fittings and appliances are being reused and supplemented with elements from the building component exchange.