Building in a Sensitive Environment: A Conversation with Felix Jakob, Managing Director of the Hirsacker Foundation.

The Hirsacker Foundation is a private foundation based in Liesberg, Canton of Basel-Landschaft. By public mandate, it offers places in "Supported Living" as well as in "Accompanied Day Structuring" specifically for people on the autism spectrum. Founded in 1987, more than 60 employees are currently dedicated to enabling clients to lead self-determined and fulfilling lives. Tailored to individual needs, the services include nature-oriented, manual, and creative activities that take place in a safe and supportive environment, focusing on joy of life, development opportunities, and social inclusion. Maintenance work that has become necessary is now being undertaken by Blaser Architects. This encompasses several properties of the Hirsacker Foundation, particularly the "Riederwald" residential building and the "Hirsacker" area. A first sub-project has already been completed, with other works still pending.

What was the original condition of the facility, and why were maintenance works necessary?

In the past, urgently needed maintenance works were repeatedly postponed, leading to the buildings no longer meeting current standards in terms of living quality, organizational circumstances, and contemporary pedagogical guidelines. These maintenance works have been intensely planned over the last three years and have already been tackled in several stages. The foundation for this effort was our mandate to create a place for clients that offers joy of life and quality of life—that is, allowing for the greatest possible self-determination and normalized living arrangements. Therefore, the needs of the clients are, of course, at the forefront, along with new operational requirements.

What factors create a particularly positive living environment for people on the autism spectrum?

A safe and supportive environment plays an enormously important role, as does clear orientation for clients. The goal is for residents to be able to orient themselves easily and manage their daily lives as independently as possible. The interior and exterior design should take this into account and create spaces that are low in stimuli, clear, and thoughtfully designed, while also radiating security and warmth. Chaos and disorder should be avoided at all costs. Sensible lighting and color schemes, as well as the use of pleasant materials, are aspects we have included. Additionally, private zones or various seating and lying options offer clients the opportunity to withdraw and relax.

An environment with the greatest possible accessibility is also important, as it enables self-determination, participation, and inclusion. As a basic principle, the needs of the clients should be best combined with the organizational needs of the institution. Finding the right balance is important. Spaces should not be overwhelming and should be low in stimuli in all cases.

What specific structural adaptations were necessary to make your facility better suited for clients?

As with probably any project implemented during ongoing operations, we first had to analyze the internal processes of the organization and explore the spatial possibilities. This process was time-consuming, as even the smallest workflows had to be meticulously considered with the care teams. This also required close collaboration with the relevant authorities, whose requirements must also be taken into account.

Since it was a fundamental renovation, many functional considerations followed in the second step: Whether it's organization, material or color choices, surfaces, light, or noise sources—all these aspects, as mentioned above, play important roles and must be taken into account. Potential dangers must be avoided, and the greatest possible accessibility must be planned in—especially in the wet areas or kitchens, where there is an added risk of injury due to slip hazards or electricity. All of this must be addressed while simultaneously creating an atmosphere as low in stimuli as possible that fosters joy of life, quality of life, and self-determination.

Does the knowledge of needs and adaptations derive from everyday work practice, or were conversations with clients and other stakeholders also conducted?

Both—as well as through visiting a similar institution to see how spaces and processes are designed there. The Klosterfiechten residential home, run by LIV «Living in Diversity», caters to very similar clients. The tour and conversations with caregivers were very beneficial for us.

Furthermore, we closely involved our network of experts in the planning process, and the autism expert Lambert Schonewille supported us with many questions. However, it's essential to focus on the knowledge and needs of clients and caregivers—particularly regarding daily routines and the spatial situation on site.

Were there structural constraints or legal requirements that contradicted the needs? What challenges arose during planning and implementation? Any unexpected hurdles?

In our case, we dealt with existing buildings, and the plans were sometimes incomplete or outdated. For instance, we also had to renovate the sewage system in one residential building, a need we identified through discussions with the relevant authorities. Having studied architecture at ETH years ago certainly helped in this process. Organizational considerations and ideas could be architecturally thought through from the start and integrated into the overall project. Collaborating with Zeljko Marin from Blaser Architects made things easier, not only because of his keen interest in the task but also because of our professional exchange.

Do the human senses play a larger/different role in the autism context?

Yes, because sensory perception is different for people on the autism spectrum and varies per client, as it is a spectrum. Low stimuli related to noise and light, clarity, as well as safety and self-determination, play important roles. Colors should not be too bright, light sources not too harsh, and materials and surfaces should feel pleasant and be as safe as possible. Overall, it's about safety, clarity, accessibility, low stimuli, and a pleasant spatial perception.

Will the new spatial design significantly impact the daily lives of residents?

It is indeed the case that clients can orient themselves more easily in clearly defined spaces. Of course, we have also deliberately communicated new processes. We try to facilitate wayfinding and orientation with simple visualizations and pictograms. The construction phase itself is certainly challenging: work must only be carried out when clients are not present. Naturally, this requires the involved construction companies to bring more flexibility in terms of time and planning than in their regular projects. For us, this leads to higher costs.

The changes are intended to impact not only the residents, but also provide significant relief for staff in a space that positively influences their clients. Through intentional room design, places emerge that are not only functional but also supportive—for everyone involved.

More blog posts

Christian W. Blaser
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19. June 2025

Inspiration zum Anfassen – ein Blick in unsere analoge Architekturbibliothek

Pinterest, digitale Moodboards, Instagram, ChatGPT und sonstige KI-gestützte Recherchetools – die Zahl digitaler Informationsplattformen ist gross, und unser täglicher Arbeitsalltag ist ohne all dies kaum mehr vorstellbar. Und dennoch: Unsere analoge Architekturbibliothek entfaltet ihre ganz eigene Kraft. Als haptisches Archiv der Architekturgeschichte und als Fundus für zukünftiges Denken ist sie ein fester Bestandteil unseres Büros – mal mehr, mal weniger in Gebrauch, aber immer verfügbar!

Christian W. Blaser
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04. December 2023

Statement on sustainability

Zamri Thüring
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04. March 2024

Digitale Transformation in der Baubranche

Auch wir bei Blaser Architekten befinden uns mitten in der digitalen Transformation aller Geschäftsabläufe und können von uns behaupten, dass wir bereits vieles umgesetzt haben. Die Digitalisierung ist aber kein Sprint, auch kein Marathon – viel mehr ein Weg, den wir nicht mehr verlassen werden. Laufend werden neue Tools entwickelt, KI wartet in immer kürzer zu werden scheinenden Intervallen mit neuen Möglichkeiten auf. Das bedeutet, dass wir die digitale Transformation nicht als Prozess verstehen, der nun bald abgeschlossen sein wird, sondern als selbstverständlich gewordener Teil unserer täglichen Aufgaben. Deswegen ist es uns wichtig, diesen Weg aufmerksam zu gehen, was heute möglich ist zu implementieren, aber auch neue Entwicklungen nicht zu verschlafen. Einer unserer Mitarbeitenden ist in diesem Thema besonders zuhause und legt sich dafür ins Zeug. Zamri Thüring ist Student des Master-Studiengangs in Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) an der FHNW und arbeitet bei Blaser Architekten in der Qualitätssicherung für Computer Aided Design (CAD, QS). In diesem Blogbeitrag teilt er seine Erfahrungen und Einsichten.

Anna Stärk
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09. December 2024

Analog Despite Digital: The Significance of Architectural Model Making in a Digital World

A large part of our work today is digital and virtual—we design with CAD, enhance plans with BIM data, and visualize projects in 3D. Still, sometimes the tried and true methods prove their worth. Take model making, for example, which continues to play a significant role in architecture. Surprisingly, this might seem counterintuitive given the indispensable tools like 3D renderings and simulations, making physical model making appear almost outdated. However, as in life, the magic often lies in the mix: combining digital and analog methods unlocks unique potential. Why Analog When Everything Is Digital?

Anna Stärk
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22. May 2024

What actually is... amock-up?

What actually is... amock-up?Sketches, drawings,floor plans, 3D models - the language used by architectural designers tocommunicate visually is not always easy to understand right away in reality -after all, visualizations often only offer a perspective view and plans, gridsand the like must also be able to be read. And even if digitalization has longsince found its way into the field of construction (planning) and architecture,the implementation of a project and the end result is still a highly analoguematter that involves sensory perception. So what helps to illustrate ideas andpossible projects in the best possible way and to give clients, but also thecontractors, tradespeople and suppliers involved, a comprehensive picture ofwhat the future could look like? Exactly, a mock-up, i.e. a modelrepresentation on a scale of 1:1. The term mock-up has its origins in French(maquette) and means something like preliminary model, sketch or draft.

Christian W. Blaser
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27. November 2024

“Making Of” Series by Architektur Dialoge

Founded in 2006, the non-profit foundation Architektur Dialoge (AD) aims to raise public awareness about architecture and urban issues while fostering dialogue between the industry and private users. To achieve this, Architektur Dialoge offers a wide range of events on architecture and building culture, inviting the public to learn more through lectures, guided tours, and workshops. One of these offerings is the Making Of series, which provides insights into craftsmanship and architecture. Hosted by Christian W. Blaser, a member of the AD Foundation Board, the series not only highlights completed projects but also tells the stories behind their creation—from the initial idea to their realisation...

Credit David Walter
Anna Stärk
/
21. January 2025

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Christian W. Blaser
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05. February 2024

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Anna Stärk
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30. September 2024

Minergie certification for Andermatt

In the heart of the Gotthard massif lies the small village of Andermatt, which despite its striking location remained untouched by tourism for a long time. Thanks to a comprehensive tourism initiative by the major Egyptian-Montenegrin investor and developer Samih Sawiris, this has now changed and Andermatt has become an attractive destination for winter and summer visitors. We were also involved in this project and, as architect and general planner, have been responsible for getting the largest flat block there, Haus YARA, off the ground in recent months. Our guiding principle for this project was to combine tradition and modernity in order to create a harmonious whole between contemporary living and traditional architecture. MINERGIE certification, which was officially awarded the week before last, is also part of the concept.

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Static and dynamic content editing

A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. For static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. For dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. Voila!

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How to customize formatting for each rich text

Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

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Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

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