Bucheggplatz House

In Gran Torino, the porch is where change begins - a quiet threshold where presence alone invites connection. This idea is the baseline of Bucheggplatz House.

An existing building is transformed into small, private apartments for elderly residents, while shifting daily life into shared, public spaces. The architecture unfolds in layers: a street-facing tea bar for quick stops, a terrace for lingering, and a communal kitchen activated by whoever feels like cooking. The teahouse becomes a gentle porch for the city - encouraging pauses, conversations, care.

Inside, the layering continues: a shared living room, a communal kitchen, a gym. Private units remain minimal, focused on rest and self-care, while the rest of the structure invites participation. A green courtyard offers a gathering space.

Zurich is aging. Many grow old not just emotionally, but spatially. Bucheggplatz House doesn’t push people inward. It draws them out through simple, spatial gestures that foster presence, proximity, and shared time. It’s not an institution. It’s a living structure.

Project by: Jonas Dolder

Teaching team: Anna Puigjaner, Dafni Retzepi, Ethel Baraona Pohl, Lisa Maillard, Luis Úrculo, Pol Esteve Castelló, He Shen

Design Studio: Spring 2025

Photos and Videos taken by Luis Úrculo