Molkenstrasse 20

Her Way by Céline Ducrocq explores sex work in its many forms, from legal to illegal, and challenges the idea that it only occurs out of desperation, showing it can also be an active career choice. The film portrays a diverse range of experiences, making it clear that sex work exists across gender and age groups.

In Zurich’s Langstrasse area, many sex workers come from economically precarious backgrounds, arriving for short stays to send money back home. These workers often share small rooms for both work and sleep, leaving them with no private space. The existing support network connects sex work locations and institutions but lacks a domestic space for informal gatherings without the constraints of institutional structures; A space where sex workers can provide care and support for each other in a non-hierarchical setting is missing.

Our intervention at Molkenstrasse 20 addresses this gap, offering an extended domestic space for activities beyond work and sleep. The design includes a variety of rooms, allowing sex workers to choose between socialising and solitude. Privacy is emphasised through a progression from open, communal areas to more secluded, insulated spaces, with the inner walls becoming more massive as one moves upward. A wooden shelf along the corridor integrates with the walls, creating flexible spaces. On the upper floors, rooms become increasingly private, accommodating different needs for privacy and interaction.

The basement and ground floor are rented to a pharmacy and a library, both open 24/7, which adds a sense of security and helps generate income for the non-profit organisation. While this project does not aim to solve the structural problems faced by sex workers, it seeks to offer a secure, extended living space that fosters community and support within a domestic environment.

Project by: Carlota Steib, Cendrine Altmann, Greta Dier

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

Spring 2024