GFA Gruppe für Architektur
Conversion of the south wing of the TAS Building, University of Zurich Animal Hospital
Description
The TAS building, part of the animal hospital of the
University of Zurich, was constructed in 1886 by Gottfried Semper’s student
Otto Weber as a cantonal smallpox hospital on the outskirts of the city. The
conversion of the south wing into offices and a skills lab provided an
opportunity to restore the original qualities of the classical hospital
building with its central projecting bay and wards on both sides. The
beautifully proportioned and well-lit hall in the south wing was made tangible
again in its overall spatial expression and was divided by three
floor-to-ceiling fixtures that accommodate the requested private offices and a
meeting room. These built-in units are partially glazed wood-frame structures
with colourfully painted fillings and transom windows that correspond to the
wall structure and the window divisions of the overall space. The new room setting creates transparent views through the space and lends the interior a specific character that is reminiscent of the original hospital ward. A skills
lab for veterinary medicine students was set up on the basement floor. With
dark wall panels and robust flooring made of cast basalt, it was possible to
meet the requirements of laboratory use while giving the formerly bleak basement
an independent character.