Keramos, Lausanne
The neighborhood around Avenue de la Chablière is a quiet, green residential area in the northwest of Lausanne. Trees, gardens, and townhouses from the 1930s and 1940s line the avenue. The residential building Keramos contributes to the densification of the city center and modernizes a historic typology.
Burckhardt Developments
2020 – 2025
Architecture
Olivier Di Giambattista
Residential accommodation
Lausanne, Schweiz
The Lausanne “Plot”
The project draws on the tradition of the “plots,” a residential building typology that emerged at the end of the 19th century in Lausanne. At that time, the city’s population was growing rapidly and living conditions in the centre were deteriorating. The “plot” offered an urban solution to alleviate the housing shortage while creating high-quality urban spaces. A significant improvement compared to earlier building types, these villas used more open layouts that improved air flow and light access while keeping the urban fabric compact.
This type of building still shapes Lausanne’s cityscape today, and Keramos reflects it in its slender form and clear division into base, residential floors, and cornice.
Standard floor
Organisation
The trapezoidal footprint results from the geometry of the plot: to the north, the built volume aligns with the rhythm of the avenue; to the south, it widens toward Lake Geneva, offering a broader facade for balconies. The five-story building is organized around a central staircase serving three apartments per floor. All apartments are bright thanks to French windows and full height connecting doors; their layout supports this, with clear views through the rooms that lead to spacious balconies above and private gardens below.
Materials and Details
Special attention was given to the choice of materials and details. The facade, finished in coarse-grained gray-green plaster, is punctuated by sandblasted concrete lambrequins. A red-toned terrazzo, poured on-site, extends from the entrance inward, crossing the reception hall and continuing into the staircase. Combined with exposed concrete walls, it creates a coherent and warm ensemble, enhanced by the care given to design and execution: the entrance steps, handrails, and ceiling junctions seem to merge seamlessly.
Thresholds and Continuity
This rigor is evident throughout the building: in front of apartment doors, for example, the terrazzo is interrupted to integrate floor mats that provide a chromatic transition between the floor and the full-height natural oak doors. Inside the apartments, custom cabinets conceal all access panels, leaving walls smooth and uniform.
The balconies act as true outdoor rooms extending the living spaces, equipped with curtains for sun protection and privacy. The terrazzo from the entrance also appears in the balcony flooring.
