Fischer Architekten AG, Zurich Binz

In 2006 Fischer Architekten found a new home in Zurich Binz in the warehouse of the former department store chain EPA. With its brick facade, strict symmetry and white lift towers the building has an inspiring character.

In planning their own offices Fischer Architekten focussed on preserving the character of the former warehouse at the foot of the Uetliberg and restricted the fitting-out to essentials. The result is an open setting with an almost raw feeling.

Clarity and simplicity, precision and unambivalence determine the nature of the surface finishes, too. For instance, the monolithic wood cement floors were retained so that their patina additionally strengthens the raw expressiveness of the interior. A contrast is provided by the floor-to-ceiling glazing that separate the offices of the management, the construction supervisors, and the meeting rooms from the loft-like open plan office. In daily office life these glass walls ensure complete transparency, allow views across the space and visual contacts.

High spaces, plenty of light and good acoustics are the characteristics of the open plan office. A multi-functional ceiling – in a restrained silver-grey, also raw and reduced – supplies the workspaces with the most up-to-date technology. The white built-in furniture and fittings are also visually discreet.