EM2N Architekten

Description

The new service facility will allow the Swiss Federal Railways to run trains up to 400 metres long in future. Thanks to its central location and the visual impact made by its sheer length, the new building enjoys a prominent position in terms of urban planning. It underscores the city’s border at the edge of the grandiose void of the track field. The task was to design a façade that would be more than a mere technical shell. We focused on the south façade in order to bundle our creative energy and the limited budget for maximum impact. The repetitive internal structure of the building inspired us to work with modular elements. The flowing curves of the fibre cement elements liberate the endless façade from flat monotony and create a play of light and shadow. The modulation extends over multiple elements, generating a pattern that befits the building’s enormous size. The two ends of the facility are rendered as smooth vertical cuts.