HGHG Restoration headquarters UBS, Zurich

The historic UBS headquarters at Bahnhofstrasse 45 have changed considerably over the years as a result of numerous conversions and extensions, distancing it from its original structure and appearance. The current building is a patchwork of different eras and no longer adequately fulfils the function of a head office.

The aim of the total refurbishment was to create a modern framework, to clearly emphasise the headquarters function and to clearly distinguish and highlight the various functions within the building. The project was based on the existing architecture, in particular the remarkable façade and the impressive historical rooms. The new interventions complement the existing building with modern elements, creating a new whole. The combination of old and new emphasises the origins of UBS, but also points to the bank's future.

The central location of the UBS headquarters on Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse offers the opportunity for daily interaction between the bank, its clients and the general public. The publicly accessible ground floor functions as an interface space and plays a central role in integrating the headquarters into the urban fabric. The newly designed, elegant café on the corner of Münzhofgasse opens up the ground floor and activates the pedestrian passage to Nüschelerstrasse. The existing shops along Pelikanstrasse and Bahnhofstrasse continue to contribute to the revitalisation of the city level.

On the ground floor, the historic counter hall in the Münzhof forms the centrepiece of the layout. A new addition is a second courtyard, the Pelikanhof, which has been lushly landscaped and designed as a garden. This green area visually opens up the depth of the building. The new UBS Forum is located between the Pelikanhof and the Münzhof counter hall. This versatile space allows the bank to present itself to the public through events, exhibitions and functions. The open-plan layout allows views through the sequence of rooms from Bahnhofstrasse via the café into the Münzhof, the UBS Forum and the Pelikanhof garden.

Slotted steel profiles were installed to strengthen the listed façade and the supporting columns behind it. The existing building was 70 per cent gutted and rebuilt from below. The old Hourdis ceilings made of steel girders and masonry vaults no longer met the high demands on the load-bearing structure and were replaced with modern concrete ceilings. The existing reinforced concrete ceilings were retained, but were improved in terms of punching shear and fire protection. In order to secure the listed façade, trusses were installed over five storeys on three sides until the new ceilings provided the necessary stability. New walls, which transfer additional loads into the subsoil, were founded on micropiles. The building was also seismically upgraded to the current standard in order to meet today's earthquake safety requirements.

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