HILLSIDE
The documentary I Didn’t See You There by Reid Davenport was the starting point for the analysis of the HIL building. Told from the perspective of a wheelchair user, the film shows how architecture influences movement, perception, and independence through everyday situations shaped by limited accessibility.
The first research phase examined different spatial conditions within HIL. A central focus was the floor finishes of the building and the Hönggerberg campus, analyzed through the vibrations and sounds produced when used with a wheelchair.
The research also addressed the inaccessibility of the library, the stepped organization of the alumni lounge, and the lecture halls, which are uncomfortable to use in a wheelchair. From the floor investigation, linoleum was identified as the most suitable material, leading to further research into its production, maintenance, and recycling potential.
These findings led to the CARE CORE proposal, an addition to the HIL building. The project introduces a ramp landscape that winds upward around the existing elevator core and connects all floors of the building.
Since the prestressed concrete slabs cannot easily be perforated, one structurally independent slab section is almost entirely removed to create the new spatial core. The ramp connects to the existing floor heights and always remains below a 6% slope, allowing comfortable access for everyone. Rather than functioning only as circulation, the ramp becomes a collective space containing areas for studying, group meetings, exhibitions, reviews, and informal occupation. The structure consists of a steel column grid carrying a wavy wooden cassette ceiling, finished with a homemade linoleum surface made from recycled student drawings and concrete dust.
Master Thesis Spring 2026
Project by: Alessandro Cangemi Teaching Team: Anna Puigjaner, Pol Esteve Castelló, He Shen 何珅, Ethel Baraona Pohl, Lisa Maillard, Paule Perron, Valentina Noce. In Collaboration with Guillaume Habert and He Yufei (BUK).
Images 1, 3, 4, 9: Luís Úrculo