Blümlimattweg 15, Thun
2021
At Blümlimattweg 15 in Thun, Switzerland's first apartment building with a basement made of wood was built. The building is also the Living Lab of the DeepWood research project and has innovative approaches to building physics.
The project
An apartment building full of innovations was built in Thun. No concrete or steel was used in the entire house with 5 residential units - not even in the basement. Cross-laminated timber panels lie on top of a 160 mm thick insulation board. Black insulation encases the wood for moisture protection. The interior walls are non-load-bearing; columns and the exterior walls support the cross-laminated timber floor slab. Thus, the basement is very flexible in use and can be used in many ways, thanks to the pleasant indoor climate due to the visible and tangible wood. The house in Thun is also the living lab of the DeepWood research project together with the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts and the Bern University of Applied Sciences. With DeepWood, the planning methods Building Information Modeling (BIM) are being further developed.
The construction
The basement is a solid timber structure made of cross-laminated timber panels. TS3 joints allow the floor slabs without joists. The exterior walls in timber frame construction are optimally insulated, which makes it possible to dispense with a heating system. Therefore, there is no conventional heating system in this building; a warm air supply is available as a backup.
The challenge
The Blümlimattweg was the first time a 45 degree TS3 joint was grouted in a construction project. TS3 had experience with this only from research projects. Another challenge of this project was the cold temperatures during grouting. For the first time, winter construction measures had to be developed and used. The joints were heated locally.
Construction Data
- Number of floors: 3
- Gross floor area: 998 m2
- Glulam: 178 m3
- TS3 technology: 360 linear meters of joints
Services of Timbatec
- SIA Phase 11 Condition analysis
- SIA Phase 21 Structural analysis
- SIA Phase 31 Preliminary design
- SIA Phase 32 Construction project
- SIA Phase 41 Tendering and comparison of offers
- SIA Phase 51 Implementation project
- SIA Phase 52 Execution
- SIA Phase 53 Commissioning
Client
Yamanakako AG
3600 Thun
Timberconstruction engineer
Timbatec Holzbauingenieure (Schweiz) AG Zurich
8005 Zurich
Timberconstruction
Stuberholz AG
3054 Schüpfen
Architects
HLS Architekten
8004 Zurich
Photography
Nils Sandmeier and André Maurer
Basement made of wood? Why not – First Swiss apartment building with a basement made of wood
Schweizer Holzrevue, Issue 4/5 2024 – Thun in the canton of Bern is home to the first apartment building in Switzerland to have a basement made entirely of wood. This revolutionary building was also deliberately built without a heating system. An inspection. (Report in german)
Shall we go deep with wood?
Holzmagazin, Issue No. 04/2023 – The wood cellar as a living space. What seemed unthinkable for a long time is now reality. Modern construction technology makes basements made of wood possible. Does the future belong to them?
Long live self-sufficiency?
UND Generationentandem, Issue No. 43/2022 – Wood should not be a fuel, because it is probably the most sustainable renewable building material there is. This is what Stefan Zöllig and Regula A. Bircher believe. In this interview, they talk about their convictions and present their "house without heating.
Five households that defy the energy crisis
Berner Zeitung, October 25, 2022 – Energy prices are rising massively, gas and electricity could become scarce. A visit to Bernese men and women who are striving for more independence in the crisis. Stefan Zöllig is among them with his apartment building without any heating at all.
Generating innovations with universities
Schweizer BauJournal, June 2022 – Many SMEs lack the time, money and human resources to invest in research and development. The following article shows how companies can benefit from collaboration with universities. (Report in German)
Two «25-year-olds» work together successfully
Spirit Biel/Bienne 06.2022 – 25 years ago, Stefan Zöllig founded Timbatec in Steffisburg as a sole proprietorship. In the 25 years of operation, Timbatec has grown into a successful timber construction engineering firm. Since then, the company has completed over 3000 timber construction projects and recently founded new start-ups. (Report in German)
Full wood
Hochparterre, Issue No. 3/22 – In Thun, a house stands as a manifesto. It was built by the timber engineer Stefan Zöllig, who is redefining the possibilities of timber construction. One would not expect such an experiment in a prime location in the villa district above the old town. (Report in German)
First basement in wood construction in Switzerland
Holz-Zentralblatt, Issue No. 47, 2021 – Timber construction can contribute to achieving climate targets particularly if it completely dispenses with the use of steel and concrete. A logical step in this direction is to do without these building materials in basements. Timbatec Holzbauingenieure Schweiz AG together with Timber Structures 3.0 AG and other business partners have built in Thun Switzerland's first basement made of wood. A research project has been underway since May. (Report in German)
In this house you live without heating
Berner Zeitung, Issue 10.11.2021 – Swiss timber construction pioneer Stefan Zöllig has built a house in Thun without heating or concrete. It is also the first house in Switzerland to be made of wood right down to the basement. (Report in German)
A house without heating and concrete
Berner Oberländer, Issue 10.11.2021 – Wood construction pioneer Stefan Zöllig has built a house made entirely of wood from the basement to the roof – and without heating. How does that work? (Report in German)
A house made of wood, completely without concrete and heating
BZ Langenthaler Zeitung, Issue 10.11.2021 – From the outside, the house in a Thun neighborhood looks rather inconspicuous, but it holds a few surprises: Swiss timber construction pioneer Stefan Zöllig built it without heating. In addition, it is the first house in Switzerland to be made of wood right down to the basement. Zöllig lives in it himself with his family, as a kind of self-experiment. (Report in German)
A house made entirely of wood
Thuner Tagblatt, Issue 10.11.2021 – Swiss timber construction pioneer Stefan Zöllig has built a house in Thun without heating and concrete. He has built a rather inconspicuous wooden house at Blümlimattweg 15 in Thun. It blends into the neighborhood in a way that is in keeping with the local heritage. But the building, which is practically finished, literally has its work cut out for it. (Report in German)
Cellar made of wood? Yes, that's possible!
Baukader.ch, Issue 09/2021 – Building a basement completely out of wood? Timbatec founder Stefan Zöllig is convinced that it can be done and, as a private builder, is demonstrating it himself. In the construction of his new apartment building with six apartments in Thun, he had the basement built entirely in wood. An experiment, as he himself says. Nevertheless, he firmly believes in success. (Report in German)
Innovative solutions for energy-efficient buildings
Wir Holzbauer, Issue No. 4.2021 – Wood offers many possibilities for energy-efficient new buildings and energy-efficient refurbishment of solid buildings: With innovative solutions, not only the operating energy but also the total energy demand of the buildings can be significantly reduced. Summer thermal insulation also requires new approaches, because climate change will exacerbate the problem. (Report in German)
Everything speaks for wood
NZZ am Sonntag, January 2021 – Stefan Zöllig, founder and co-owner of Timbatec, has made a name for himself with record-breaking wooden buildings. For him, however, the digitalization of construction planning lags far behind other industries. The timber construction engineer explains why the days of concrete and steel are numbered. Read the exciting interview in the "NZZ am Sonntag". (Report in German)
Learning from the industry
Special Issue BIM Reality Check, No. 2/2020 - When different planning teams work together with BIM, interface problems still cause a lot of effort and costs. This could be avoided... read the interesting report by Simon Meier. (Report in german)
How about building the cellar out of wood?
First, Issue No. 3/20 – In NACH.GEFRAGT architects and engineers have their say. It is all about inspiration, idols and ideas - and about wood. When someone solves problems that others don't even have yet, Stefan Zöllig is not far away. A cellar made of wood? If you ask the structural engineer, then this is not a matter of impossibility. (Report in German)
