“Prime Cut” by Rutz Architekten - winning entry for Architecture at Zero 2013

"Prime Cut" by Swiss firm Rutz Architekten won a Merit Award in the 2013 Architecture at Zero competition we just featured. Student and professional entrants were required to design a zero-net energy, mixed use, affordable residential building for the Tenderloin neighborhood in San Francisco, CA.

Check out the project images and diagrams the Rutz Architekten team sent us.

Prime Cut by Rutz Architekten - Merit Award winner in Architecture at Zero 2013. Image: Rutz Architekten

Project description from Rutz Architekten:

"With the correct amount of insulation, low-E glazing, flexible external sun-shading, and thermal mass in its structure, a building in San Francisco needs no mechanical heating or cooling systems."

Interior rendering. Image: Rutz Architekten

"The architectural problem of designing a zero-net energy is simply to maximize daylight, natural ventilation, and the quality of space."

Section. Image: Rutz Architekten

"A single volume on the southeast corner of the plot consolidates the housing with only two circulation cores, and reserves space for an uninterrupted, naturally-lit grocery store. Furthermore, it provides distance between the neighboring buildingsand the tower’s south, east, and west faces, maximizing surface for solar PV cells on the facade, which provide apartments, elevators, and the grocery with all its electric needs."

Site plan. Image: Rutz Architekten

"Voids are cut from the block, providing each apartment with a generous 2, 3 or even 4 sides of natural light, air, and views. This multiplication of facades gives a balanced lighting atmosphere which penetrates right through to the circulation core without overheating. One enters his/her apartment via a shaded private balcony."

Plan. Image: Rutz Architekten

Jury Comments

The Architecture at Zero jury remarked that this was “the most successful and deeply thought-out plan for achieving cross ventilation and light. There is interesting access to open space for individual units with seasonal covered porches. Southern exposure for the sunlight provides daylighting for retail space. This is a very imaginative plan and studiously designed so the building doesn’t need a heating or cooling system. The inventive plan results in a civilized building.”

Team: Stephan Rutz, Jesse Honsa, Kate Gannon, Karl Sippel

Consultants: Bruno Keller, Christian Schoch, Heinz Simmler, Andreas Gianoli and Roland Ryser

Images courtesy of Rutz Architekten. 

Jury comments via Architecture to Zero 2013.