Siedlung Merzenacker

A housing development in a rural setting, realised after ten years of planning in accordance with the town’s development plan. The 43 terraced houses, arranged in nine groups, are situated either around individually designed courtyards or along the main axis running from south to north. The most distinctive feature of Merzenacker is the seamless transitions from public to semi-private and private outdoor spaces. The alternation of solid wall sections and openings repeatedly allows views into and through different zones; light plays a central role in the design of the otherwise grey architecture. As each house was adapted to the specific needs of its occupant, this results in a variety of house types and correspondingly varied exterior façades. The visible concrete blocks are executed in a uniform and disciplined manner; their pilaster-like reliefs ensure that even large surfaces do not appear monotonous. In front of the sun-facing façades stand steel structures as tall as the houses themselves, which serve
as supporting elements for conservatories, terrace canopies, shade-providing nets and climbing frames for greenery. White lightweight facades and round steel columns, together with the interplay of aluminium, steel and glass, sometimes create an almost bewildering variety of impressions. The construction of Merzenacker has resulted in an interesting residential development where the setting back of the ground floors along individual access routes, combined with the small businesses situated there, creates an urban alleyway atmosphere. The combination of work, residential and numerous communal spaces, each with a more or less private character, certainly successfully counteracts the risk of isolation amidst the greenery. (Copyright: Bauinventar 2017, Heritage Conservation Department of the City of Bern)