Study facade renovation Badenerstrasse 170/172 Zürich, 2010

The two office buildings at Badenerstrasse 170 and 172, built in 1984 according to a design by Jaques Schader, were raised by one storey in 1999 by Romero Schaefle Architekten and connected to each other with a walkway across Feldstrasse. After about 30 years, the overall impression of the property no longer met the requirements of a contemporary office building architecture. A feasibility study should show how this situation could be remedied by renovating the facade.

In order to situate the building ensemble in the urban context, precise corrections to the cubature are made. The volumes on the sides of the building facing Badenerstrasse are rounded off and emphasise its urban presence. On the north plot sides, though, the cubatures have a sharp cut. The new facade design emphasises the horizontal and flowing lines. The difference in height between ventilation flaps and window elements is balanced out by balustrade lines made of polished limestone cast stone. The window bands are intended as double-layered glazing with rear ventilated interspace for sun protection. The generous formats of the pre-glazing play over the retained internal façade grid, which remains in harmony with the building's statics.