The 2.2 hectares of brownfield land at the former Holliger incineration plant in Bern are being used to develop a brand new neighbourhood. Close to a coffee roasting plant and the railway tracks, the district is being completed by a 17-storey cooperative housing project.

The shape of the project is closely linked to the particularity of the built environment. Retrenched and compressed lengthways, the plan resizes the footprint and the development of the façades in contact with the odour nuisance of the factory. The two smaller façades are hollowed out on the inside, giving a clear direction to the tower. Different slab cut-outs provide double and triple heights for the balconies, and this interplay of variable floor plates generates a reading of intermediate scales that link up with neighbouring buildings.

The principle of a mixed wood/concrete structure for the slabs and columns, and a metal envelope, provides a flexible layout that suits changing lifestyles and favours sustainable materials. And in the form of a dialogue, the cladding of the tower refers to the surrounding railway buildings.

The strong, methodical floor plan is broken down into six types of dwelling, where the layout systematically distances the living spaces from the nuisances of the coffee factory. The 8th floor marks a threshold from which the organisation evolves; 2 large communal spaces are added to the flats on this level, then on the upper floors, the volume of these communal spaces sometimes develops to double height.

The roof houses a small restaurant open to all, with a terrace offering views of the Alps.