Portrait of Lux Guyer: The First Woman to Open an Architecture Firm in Switzerland
Born in 1894 in Zurich, Lux Guyer represents a pioneering figure in Swiss avant-garde architecture. In 1924, she opened her own architecture firm, becoming the first woman in Switzerland to do so, at a time when professional independence for women was still rare. Married in 1930 to engineer Hans Studer, she refused to conform to the matrimonial and professional conventions of the time: she kept her name and continued to run her firm independently.
Her boldness went beyond her role as a trailblazer. Leading her own firm, she secured large-scale projects and became particularly involved in social architecture, as evidenced by the Frauenwohnkolonie, a building designed for single working women. She is also known for having organized Switzerland's first exhibition on women's labor (SAFFA) in 1928.
ca. 1925
In a male-dominated environment, Guyer succeeded in asserting herself despite numerous challenges. Her status as a woman, combined with her architecture, which was sometimes seen as too avant-garde, made it difficult for her to find clients and buyers. To prove that her modern villas were not only visionary but also livable, she moved in with her family before finding a buyer, accumulating five moves in 25 years.
However, her determination was not synonymous with personal sacrifice. Far from the image of a genius architect wholly absorbed by her work, Lux Guyer also knew how to balance her career and personal life. Her son describes her as a present and involved mother, while she also devoted time to her hobbies, particularly gardening, which she practiced early in the morning.
ca. 1937
Frauenwohnkolonie Lettenhof
Lux Guyer left a significant mark on the history of social architecture with projects such as the Frauenwohnkolonie Lettenhof, built between 1926 and 1927. This project, financed by women's cooperatives, offered functional and affordable housing for single, working women—a first in Switzerland. The goal was to create simple, modern apartments that were neither too basic nor too expensive. In 1983, the gta Institute at ETH Zurich published a monograph on Guyer, which noted that some of the original tenants were still living in the housing complex, a testament to the architectural success of the project.
The development consisted of four buildings arranged around a central courtyard that served as a communal garden. Three of the buildings were dedicated to residential use and were designed to ease domestic tasks, while the fourth housed a communal space. This smaller building included a restaurant on the ground floor and residential apartments on the upper floor. It was noticeably smaller than the three surrounding buildings.
The architecture stands out for its rational and carefully considered design. The façade is structured around continuous bands of windows, featuring three types of openings arranged in a regular grid. Projecting lintels and cantilevered balconies create subtle plays of light and shadow, contributing to a modernist volumetric composition.
« With their healthy, southwest-facing orientation, abundant access to air and sunlight, wide windows, and good sanitary facilities, the apartments meet all hygiene requirements. Central heating and electric boilers make maintenance easier; balconies, built-in wardrobes, harmonious proportions, and soothing colors create a sense of comfort; gardens with seating areas, berries, and flowers give the impression that one is not renting, but living in one’s own home. »
Upon its inauguration, the project was praised for addressing an urgent need:
« Zurich can boast of being the first Swiss city to offer housing for single working women. »
Lux Guyer is not only distinguished as a "female architect" but as a pioneer in social architecture in Switzerland. Through her housing projects for active women and her modern villas along the shores of Lake Zurich, she explored new ways of living. Her career also embodies a model of balancing professional and personal life – a challenge that remains relevant in the field of architecture today.
This text has been translated with the help of Ai.
Sources:
ETH, “Lux Guyer Architektin” 1983.
Evelyne Lang, “Les premières femmes architectes de Suisse”, Diss., EPF Lausanne 1992, S. 347–429.
GTA Archiv. “Lux Guyer.” https://archiv.gta.arch.ethz.ch/nachlaesse-vorlaesse/lux-guyer
Susanne Schmid, “Hintergründe zum gemeinschaftlichen Wohnen – Teil 2.” 2020, Baublog.
https://baublog.warmbaechli.ch/2020/05/hintergruende-zum-gemeinschaftlichen-wohnen-teil-2/
Chiara Personeni. “Frauentreffkuche Lettenhof.” Chair of Architectural Behaviorology, Momoyo Kaijima.
https://works.arch.ethz.ch/thesis/frauentreffkuche-lettenhof
Martin Bürlimann. “Die Frauenkolonie Lettenhof.” 2019, Wipkinger Zeitung. https://wipkinger-zeitung.ch/die-frauenkolonie-lettenhof/
Urs Studer. “Arktektin Lux Guyer.” 2005, Küsnachter Jahrheft.
https://www.ortsgeschichte-kuesnacht.ch/pdf/2005-2007/Kuesnachter-Jahrheft-2005-Architektin-Lux-Guyer.pdf
