Villa Alma, Gothic Revival villa in Männedorf, Switzerland.
Villa Alma is a two-storey villa on Seestrasse 80 in Männedorf, built in 1905/06 by architects Richard Kuder and Joseph Müller in an English-influenced Gothic Revival style, with Art Nouveau elements inside. Its richly articulated facade and the 9,000 m² park with a bathhouse, boathouse and garage are protected as a class A cultural property of national significance.
Emil Staub, who had inherited the family firm at 23 and built it into Switzerland's leading leather works, had the villa built in 1905/06 on concession land beside the family factories, following his own plans of 1903/04 realised by architects Richard Kuder and Joseph Müller. His widow Alma lived there until her death in 1970; the heirs sold the building to the municipality of Männedorf in 1971 for 2 million CHF, and it has served as a retirement home since.
The villa is named after Alma Terlinden, the wife of tanner Emil Staub, who had it built beside his family's factories. Since 1971 the municipality of Männedorf has run the building as a retirement home, so the former family residence is now a public institution rather than a private house.
The property is located in Männedorf on Lake Zurich and is protected as a cultural monument of national significance. The extensive grounds with their various buildings provide insight into the layout of an early industrial-era family estate, though access to the interior is restricted.
Emil Staub named the villa after his wife Alma Terlinden, and after his death in 1929 she kept living there until 1970. The heirs then sold it to the municipality of Männedorf in 1971 for 2 million CHF, and it has served as a retirement home ever since.
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