CH Architekten

Description

The site of the publishing and media house of Zürcher Oberland Medien is centrally located in the town of Wetzikon, in the canton of Zurich, directly adjacent to the train and bus station. The new ZOM building, which emerged as the winner of an invited architectural competition, provides space for the editorial offices as well as for gastronomy, commercial spaces and apartments. Three precisely placed building volumes define variously used interstitial spaces on the site. The building block along Rapperswilerstrasse shields these spaces from street noise. The central element is the «Newsstreet One»: a public passageway that connects Pestalozzistrasse with Spitalstrasse through the new building and offers glimpses of the work of media professionals. The aim is to achieve the highest degree of transparency and openness, in terms of both communication and architecture. Furthermore, all circulation areas are designed to also function as spaces for interaction. Several green terraces provide shared outdoor spaces for the residents, encouraging community and offering views over the surrounding town.