Office building extension, Pfäffikon

Metal cube
Year constructed: 2008

In the heterogeneous industrial area of Pfäffikon in the canton of Schwyz, the concrete cube becomes a striking yet calm focal point with its airy shell of shimmering copper-coloured, anodised steel grids. At the same time, the new building establishes a clear identity as an extension of the existing woodworking business on the site of the Rolf Zürcher company. It accommodates the carpentry workshop on the ground floor, while the three upper floors and the loft above these are designated for showrooms and offices. The high level of noise pollution at the site, which is exposed to traffic, limits the potential for a window area. This led to a prevalence of narrow openings having a highly rectangular format, the pattern of which is cleverly concealed by the double building envelope. Horizontal slits in the outer metal skin attached to filigree struts allow a view from the windows on every level; the division of the storeys, however, vanishes behind the interworking of the lattice meshes. The loft features a cruciform floorplan and terraces at all four corners of the building.