Horw Tower: Reference objects

The Solitaire is the first high-rise building in Horw, a sleepy suburb of Lucerne. The property, designed by renowned Swiss architect Tilla Theus, is symbolic of urban development in the municipality and has become a new landmark thanks to its ‘dancing windows’.

High-rise buildings are rare in Switzerland, and high-rise apartments even rarer. Most of them have façades with stereotypical grid patterns that lend themselves to office buildings. Tilla Theus always builds apartment buildings which she herself would enjoy living in. Meaning that using the grid principle was out of the question. She wanted ‘a different look for the façades’, one which people would react to positively. With this requirement in mind, the architect developed ‘dancing windows’ which are arranged irregularly yet still create harmony. No matter where you are – standing up, sitting at the dinner table, lying on the couch – the windows offer a perfect view of the Swiss mountains outside. The second striking characteristic of the façade is the material used. Aluminium rhomboid tiles are a source of fascination. They hint at the surrounding area and the atmosphere by reflecting a filtered version of them. In natural environments, they reflect the movements of the clouds. The prominent corners add an additional accent. Starting from the entrance area, which has become the central focus of attention, they ascend the façade all the way to the roof, which forms a single whole with the façade. The rhomboid tiles lend structure to the façade.