Ernst Niklaus Fausch Partner

Description

Listed on the cantonal register of protected buildings, this red-brick structure was constructed in 1931 and extended by two storeys in 1940. In order to preserve the spectacular interior structure despite the installation of 200 high-tech workspaces, the rooms had to be kept free of building technology and noise-dampening measures. All of the media-technology infrastructure is consolidated within a newly developed parapet element, and the earthquake bracing installed within the contours of the existing stairwells. Specially developed globe pendants with noise-dampening functionality reinforce the hall-like impression of the interior. A cascading stairway with brushed-aluminium steps and glazed foyers facilitates interpersonal contact and guides people through the building. Shades of grey define the rooms – from the PU flooring and wooden cladding through to the existing concrete structure, contrasting with the colourful textiles of the workspaces and the oiled oak surfaces. Replicas of the existing windows were built and now serve as interior windows. Bricked-up windows were reopened, and the windows of the former stairwells cast in concrete as an «echo» of the underlying earthquake wall. The windows and pillars of the two-storey extension reference the outline and proportions of the existing structure, yet add a fresh dialectical interpretation to the extant architecture through such elements as the brickwork, which has been transposed vertically and by 45 degrees to the original brick façade. The building is one of the first conversions in Switzerland to be LEED Gold-certified.