Löwenbräu-Areal, Zurich, CH
Space for residential, commercial, office and cultural activities, all of this is combined by the contrasting ensemble of buildings on the former Löwenbräu site in the west of Zurich, just a few minutes from the main train station. This variety of uses, as well as the architectural clash of old and new, leads to a special urban planning situation: although the buildings stand in stark contrast to each other, they form an absolutely coherent appearance as a whole. Among other things, this has the effect of picking up on elementary features of the listed building fabric, such as the large-scale use of square windows.
As early as the 1990s, the conversion of the Löwenbräu site into an art hall and gallery complex began. The current densification by the two Zurich architectural firms Gigon/Guyer and Atelier ww is primarily oriented upwards. The architects have placed three new individual buildings alongside the listed old buildings, which stand out strongly from the existing building in terms of shape and height.
Project data
Architect
Annette Gigon / Mike Guyer Architects, Zurich, CH
Atelier ww, Zurich, CH
Client
PSP Properties AG, Zurich/CH
Facade
gkp fassadentechnik ag, Aadorf, CH
Products
usedGEWE-therm® multi
Glass supplier
Schollglas Sachsen GmbH, Nossen, OT Heynitz,DE
Space for events and life
The previous art centre in the west of the area, an old brick building from 1897, was extended by a modern, 4-storey structure. This will make more space available for cultural events in the future. Living space is created in the middle by a 70-metre-high tower – Löwenbräu Black – which towers over everything with its 20 storeys. A total of 6,000 m² houses apartments from 98 to 320 m², some of which offer fantastic views of the city, the lake and the Alps. The 38-metre-high office building in the east offers space for business and offices, which also comes into focus with its red colour scheme and 9 floors. In between, the architects have formed three courtyards that invite visitors to linger and allow the surrounding buildings to be flooded with light. In addition, they form a gentle transition between listed buildings and modern architecture.
Ceramic elements with a special wave structure
The façade design of the residential high-rise and new office building picks up on the brick look of the old buildings with profiled, black and red glazed ceramic elements. Depending on the lighting situation, the wave structure and the special feel of the surface create iridescent effects on the façade – in some cases, ceramic cladding and window surfaces seem to merge into each other. This effect is enhanced by the flush installation of the small-format, evenly arranged box windows. They are also reminiscent of the surrounding existing buildings and give the new buildings a homogeneous structure.
State-of-the-art technology from Schollglas
For the expansion of the Löwenbräu site in Zurich, SCHOLLGLAS supplied a total of around 8,800 m² of glass. A special feature are the newly developed, motor-driven tilt-lift windows of the residential tower and office building: For the approximately 4,000 m² window area, mainly 3-fold thermal insulation glass GEWE-therm® multi from SCHOLLGAS was used. The laminated safety glass offers optimal heat and sun protection. They prevent excessive heating of the indoor air, ensure pleasant climate conditions in the building and at the same time ensure sound and burglary protection. 3-fold thermal insulation glass is a central component for the planning of energy-efficient buildings, both with regard to the requirements of EnEV and the Swiss quality standard MINERGIE. After all, good thermal insulation is the best prerequisite for low heating energy requirements. When it comes to thermal insulation of façades, it is not only glass and frames that are important, but also the edge seal plays a decisive role. Among other things, a spacer specially developed for structural glazing facades was used in the Löwenbräu area: The 4SG edge seal not only reduces the formation of condensation, but also reduces the risk of mould growth.
Energy-optimised construction
Another advantage of the 4SG edge bonding system: uniform temperatures and a long service life of the insulating glass. In addition to physical adhesion, the edge seal also ensures chemical adhesion and ensures an optimal bond between glass and the tested silicone secondary sealant. This means that the requirements of ETAG 002 are also met.
The redesign of the Löwenbräu site thus sets special standards not only in terms of a successful combination of the historic and the modern, but also in terms of energy-optimised construction – through the use of 3-fold thermal insulation glass and special edge sealing.
