Werdstrasse / Stauffacherquai

This street corner building is the head office of the company Tamedia AG, which is a Publishing house. The location where it is situated became a very important platform for the leading private Swiss Media Group and for media in general.
The construction was designed by the Japanese architect Shigeru Ban and finished in 2013. It is mainly built out of wood and glass. With its volume, it is equivalent to the heights of the block attached to it. The mansard roof and the excessive first floor are some interesting features, which fit perfectly into the district of Aussersihl. The support structure made out of wood, namely spruce, stands without any additional steel reinforcement. The great glass facade allows a glimpse from the outside into the light and warm foyer.
It was important for Tamedia to contribute to the environ- ment. Accordingly it was built with a double facade facing the Sihl, that functions both as a climate buffer and a natural ventilation system. The emissions were already decent during the construction work because of the wood. Additionally it is free of carbon and runs without nuclear electricity.
With its tall, transparent walls it is an extraordinary building in the corner. There is no similar building to it in that quarter, which makes it special standing in front of it or even inside. On one hand it appears very inviting because of the light entrance,
a combination of wood and white, on the other hand it has a cool impact with the glass front. Nevertheless it is worth visiting this unique street corner at Werdstrasse 21.