NO. 293
049 SIGNAL BOX AUF DEM WOLF
049
Signal Box Auf dem Wolf
Basel, Switzerland
Project 1989, realization 1991-1994
On the edge of railway tracks, next to the new railway engine depot and the old walls of the Wolf-Gottesacker (cemetery) from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, there is a tall, copper volume containing the signal box. On six floors, there is mainly electronic equipment for the control of points and signals to the depot and the related tracks, as well as a few workstations and their ancillary spaces.
The building's concrete shell is insulated on the exterior and wrapped with approximately 20 cm-wide copper strips that are twisted at certain places in order to admit daylight.
As a result of the copper coiling, the building acts as a Faraday cage protecting the electronic equipment inside from unexpected external effects. At the same time, it is also able to express vividly these physical qualities. Contrary to conventional industrial buildings, its scale is open and indeterminate (floor divisions are not recognizable), so that the configuration is able to take up a specific relation with the adjacent field of railway tracks.
Herzog & de Meuron, 1995
The building's concrete shell is insulated on the exterior and wrapped with approximately 20 cm-wide copper strips that are twisted at certain places in order to admit daylight.
As a result of the copper coiling, the building acts as a Faraday cage protecting the electronic equipment inside from unexpected external effects. At the same time, it is also able to express vividly these physical qualities. Contrary to conventional industrial buildings, its scale is open and indeterminate (floor divisions are not recognizable), so that the configuration is able to take up a specific relation with the adjacent field of railway tracks.
Herzog & de Meuron, 1995
FACTS
Herzog & de Meuron Team:
Partners: Jacques Herzog, Pierre de Meuron, Harry Gugger
Project Architect: Philippe Fürstenberger
Project Team: Klaus Loehnert, Hans- Ulrich Suter
Client:
Schweizerische Bundesbahnen – Hochbau Kreis II, Switzerland
Planning:
General Planning: Proplaning AG, Basel, Switzerland
Architect Planning & Construction: Herzog & de Meuron, Basel, Switzerland
Structural, Construction Management Engineering: Proplaning AG, Basel, Switzerland
HVAC Engineering: Sulzer Energieconsulting AG, Liestal, Switzerland
Plumbing Engineering: Balduin Weisser AG, Basel, Switzerland
Electrical Engineering: Selmoni AG, Basel, Switzerland
Specialist / Consulting:
Facade Consulting: Tecton AG, Pratteln, Switzerland
Climate Control Design: Sulzer Energieconsulting AG, Liestal, Switzerland
Building Data:
Building Footprint: 286sqm / 3078sqft
Gross Floor Area (GF): 1,893sqm / 20,376sqft
Partners: Jacques Herzog, Pierre de Meuron, Harry Gugger
Project Architect: Philippe Fürstenberger
Project Team: Klaus Loehnert, Hans- Ulrich Suter
Client:
Schweizerische Bundesbahnen – Hochbau Kreis II, Switzerland
Planning:
General Planning: Proplaning AG, Basel, Switzerland
Architect Planning & Construction: Herzog & de Meuron, Basel, Switzerland
Structural, Construction Management Engineering: Proplaning AG, Basel, Switzerland
HVAC Engineering: Sulzer Energieconsulting AG, Liestal, Switzerland
Plumbing Engineering: Balduin Weisser AG, Basel, Switzerland
Electrical Engineering: Selmoni AG, Basel, Switzerland
Specialist / Consulting:
Facade Consulting: Tecton AG, Pratteln, Switzerland
Climate Control Design: Sulzer Energieconsulting AG, Liestal, Switzerland
Building Data:
Building Footprint: 286sqm / 3078sqft
Gross Floor Area (GF): 1,893sqm / 20,376sqft
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Gerhard Mack, Herzog & de Meuron: Herzog & de Meuron 1989-1991. The Complete Works. Volume 2.
Edited by: Gerhard Mack. Chinese ed. Beijing, China Architecture & Building Press, 2010. Vol. No. 2.
Luis Fernández-Galiano (Ed.): Arquitectura Viva. Herzog & de Meuron 1978-2007.
2nd rev. ed. Madrid, Arquitectura Viva, 2007.
Gerhard Mack, Herzog & de Meuron: Herzog & de Meuron 1989-1991. Das Gesamtwerk. Band 2. The Complete Works. Volume 2.
Edited by: Gerhard Mack. 2nd adv. and rev. ed. Basel / Boston / Berlin, Birkhäuser, 2005. Vol. No. 2.
Fernando Márquez Cecilia, Richard Levene (Eds.): El Croquis. Herzog & de Meuron 1981-2000. Between the Face and the Landscape. The Cunning of Cosmetics. Entre el Rostro y el Paisaje. La Astucia de la Cosmética.
2nd adv. and rev. ed. Vol. No. 60+84, Madrid, El Croquis, 2005.
Nobuyuki Yoshida (Ed.): Architecture and Urbanism. Herzog & de Meuron 1978-2002.
Tokyo, A+U Publishing Co., Ltd., 02.2002.
Herzog & de Meuron. Natural History.
Edited by: Philip Ursprung. Exh. Cat. Herzog & de Meuron. Archaeology of the Mind. Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal. 23 October 2002 - 6 April 2003. 2nd ed. Baden, Lars Müller, 2005.
Herzog & de Meuron. Naturgeschichte.
Edited by: Philip Ursprung. Exh. Cat. Herzog & de Meuron. Archaeology of the Mind. Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal. 23 October 2002 - 6 April 2003. 2nd ed. Baden, Lars Müller, 2005.
Herzog & de Meuron. Histoire Naturelle.
Edited by: Philip Ursprung. Exh. Cat. Herzog & de Meuron. Archaeology of the Mind. Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal. 23 October 2002 - 6 April 2003. Baden, Lars Müller, 2002.
Jacques Herzog: Recent Work of Herzog & de Meuron.
In: Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (Ed.). Columbia Documents of Architecture and Theory. Vol. No. 4, New York, Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, 1995. pp. 5-25.
Herzog & de Meuron, Nikolaus Kuhnert, Angelika Schnell: Minimalismus und Ornament. Herzog & de Meuron im Gespräch mit Nikolaus Kuhnert und Angelika Schnell.
In: Marc Fester, Sabine Kraft, Nikolaus Kuhnert (Eds.) et al. Archplus. Herzog & de Meuron: Minimalismus und Ornament. Vol. No. 129/130, Aachen, ARCH+ Verlag GmbH, 12.1995. pp. 18-24.
Herzog & de Meuron: Besondere Orte. Stellwerk Auf dem Wolf, Basel, 1994.
In: Verlegergemeinschaft Werk, Bauen + Wohnen (Ed.). Werk, Bauen + Wohnen. Vol. No. 5, Zurich, Verlag Bauen + Wohnen GmbH, 05.1994. pp. 26-33.
Jacques Herzog, Pierre de Meuron, Ernst Hubeli: Das Selbe und das Besondere. Ein Gespräch mit Jacques Herzog und Pierre de Meuron, neuere Arbeiten.
In: Verlegergemeinschaft Werk, Bauen + Wohnen (Ed.). Werk, Bauen + Wohnen. Formzwang, Freiheit der Form. Vol. No. 10, Zurich, Bauen + Wohnen GmbH, 10.1993. pp. 14-31.
Edited by: Gerhard Mack. Chinese ed. Beijing, China Architecture & Building Press, 2010. Vol. No. 2.
Luis Fernández-Galiano (Ed.): Arquitectura Viva. Herzog & de Meuron 1978-2007.
2nd rev. ed. Madrid, Arquitectura Viva, 2007.
Gerhard Mack, Herzog & de Meuron: Herzog & de Meuron 1989-1991. Das Gesamtwerk. Band 2. The Complete Works. Volume 2.
Edited by: Gerhard Mack. 2nd adv. and rev. ed. Basel / Boston / Berlin, Birkhäuser, 2005. Vol. No. 2.
Fernando Márquez Cecilia, Richard Levene (Eds.): El Croquis. Herzog & de Meuron 1981-2000. Between the Face and the Landscape. The Cunning of Cosmetics. Entre el Rostro y el Paisaje. La Astucia de la Cosmética.
2nd adv. and rev. ed. Vol. No. 60+84, Madrid, El Croquis, 2005.
Nobuyuki Yoshida (Ed.): Architecture and Urbanism. Herzog & de Meuron 1978-2002.
Tokyo, A+U Publishing Co., Ltd., 02.2002.
Herzog & de Meuron. Natural History.
Edited by: Philip Ursprung. Exh. Cat. Herzog & de Meuron. Archaeology of the Mind. Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal. 23 October 2002 - 6 April 2003. 2nd ed. Baden, Lars Müller, 2005.
Herzog & de Meuron. Naturgeschichte.
Edited by: Philip Ursprung. Exh. Cat. Herzog & de Meuron. Archaeology of the Mind. Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal. 23 October 2002 - 6 April 2003. 2nd ed. Baden, Lars Müller, 2005.
Herzog & de Meuron. Histoire Naturelle.
Edited by: Philip Ursprung. Exh. Cat. Herzog & de Meuron. Archaeology of the Mind. Canadian Centre for Architecture, Montreal. 23 October 2002 - 6 April 2003. Baden, Lars Müller, 2002.
Jacques Herzog: Recent Work of Herzog & de Meuron.
In: Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (Ed.). Columbia Documents of Architecture and Theory. Vol. No. 4, New York, Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, 1995. pp. 5-25.
Herzog & de Meuron, Nikolaus Kuhnert, Angelika Schnell: Minimalismus und Ornament. Herzog & de Meuron im Gespräch mit Nikolaus Kuhnert und Angelika Schnell.
In: Marc Fester, Sabine Kraft, Nikolaus Kuhnert (Eds.) et al. Archplus. Herzog & de Meuron: Minimalismus und Ornament. Vol. No. 129/130, Aachen, ARCH+ Verlag GmbH, 12.1995. pp. 18-24.
Herzog & de Meuron: Besondere Orte. Stellwerk Auf dem Wolf, Basel, 1994.
In: Verlegergemeinschaft Werk, Bauen + Wohnen (Ed.). Werk, Bauen + Wohnen. Vol. No. 5, Zurich, Verlag Bauen + Wohnen GmbH, 05.1994. pp. 26-33.
Jacques Herzog, Pierre de Meuron, Ernst Hubeli: Das Selbe und das Besondere. Ein Gespräch mit Jacques Herzog und Pierre de Meuron, neuere Arbeiten.
In: Verlegergemeinschaft Werk, Bauen + Wohnen (Ed.). Werk, Bauen + Wohnen. Formzwang, Freiheit der Form. Vol. No. 10, Zurich, Bauen + Wohnen GmbH, 10.1993. pp. 14-31.
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