Are decisions regarding the place made jointly and transparently?

At the end of the 1980s, Sulzer AG ceased production on its premises in the centre of Winterthur. In 2009, the Basel pension fund Abendrot Foundation purchased the Lagerplatz site, which accounts for roughly one quarter of the 200,000-square-metre industrial district. Since then, the Abendrot Foundation has been rehabilitating and developing the impressive industrial buildings in close cooperation with the tenants. It wants to ensure that low-threshold and cultural uses continue to be possible. Consequently, the industrial buildings are only being selectively converted or upgraded, and some are even only being repaired.

Does the place adapt while at the same time preserving its built heritage?

The Lagerplatz development, with its niches for small business, leisure, art and culture, makes a valuable contribution to real urbanity. The Abendrot Foundation subdivided the over 100-year-old Building 118 into a rectangular hall and a trapezoidal front section. The latter was refurbished and topped up with three additional storeys. The lower portion is used by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), while the new floors accommodate twelve studios. On each floor, the individual studios are arranged around a central space that is used for circulation and as a kitchen and common room.

Is the place distinguished by durable construction and little need for maintenance?

The upward expansion, visible from afar, is a beacon of sustainable construction. The material comes from demolished residential, office and commercial buildings. Due to major advances in how facilities are operated, the construction of a building is now responsible for three quarters of the emissions over its lifespan. At K.118, the focus is placed on reducing this grey energy: 60 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions and 500 tonnes of primary materials are saved compared to using new components.

Are the construction materials and methods durable, require little maintenance, and maintain or even enhance the place’s value?

The K.118 project unites more than century-old building stock with salvaged and new components into a cohesive whole. The structure makes use of steel beams from a demolished Coop distribution centre in Basel. A steel exterior staircase from a former office building in Zurich provides access to the new storeys. Windows and façade cladding are also sourced from demolished properties. In addition, the architects used natural building materials such as wood, straw and earth.

Does the place bring different people together?

Instead of demolition and new construction, the Abendrot Foundation has preserved the brick-built halls on its site and initiated low-impact, sustainable development. Currently, the building’s front section is used by the ZHAW as well as by people who work primarily in culture or communication. However, the rooftop addition also attracts people interested in circular and sustainable construction. Thus its relevance is broader, as the building also serves as a research project.

Does present-day design improve the quality of the existing?

With circular construction, the planning process is reversed. It starts with the search for available building components. These found objects influence the design far more than new components influence a conventionally designed building. The architects and artisans have to piece together what has been found into a new whole. The combination of historical, reclaimed and new material has succeeded here, both inside and out. The red addition bestows a contemporary accent atop the patinated industrial building.

Is the place notable for its distinctiveness?

The Sulzer site was the first large abandoned industrial site in Switzerland. Ever since, the city of Winterthur and numerous owners have been transitioning the site safely and without haste into a new era. Whereas other cities struggle to allow development without rushing to eliminate the existing stock, here a balance has been achieved. Both on the site as a whole and in the front section of Hall 118, multifaceted space has been created that brings together the industrial past and sustainable building in exemplary fashion.

Does the place have an atmospheric impact on the beholder?

Part of the K.118 project’s charm is its rawness and its unconventional combination. This aesthetic is a novelty for architecture in Switzerland, since most architects prefer to shape and control every detail. But circular building requires spontaneity and flexibility in thought and action. This gives rise to a new kind of beauty.