NO. 293
058 EXTENSION OF HEAD OFFICES FOR HELVETIA
058
Extension of Head Offices for Helvetia
St. Gallen, Switzerland
Competition 1989, project 1990-1991
The headquarters of Helvetia insurance is located on top of the Girtannerberg, a raised part above the town of St. Gallen, and in the vicinity of other large building complexes.
The extension by Herzog & de Meuron completes the existing cruciform complex so that a functional and contextual object is created. And it is organized around four distinctly different courtyards. Each arm of the existing cruciform receives an extension whose differing sizes or structural systems correspond to their respective topographic and urban context. The projecting, table-like configuration, on the west contains the entrance, lobby, restaurant and conference rooms and it acts like a head that terminates the complex; the adjacent courtyards to the east open to the park. The two lower sited and narrower extensions are oriented towards the town and are formed as glass cubes. The heavier configuration on the slope with its T-shaped plan form requires a load-bearing facade structure.
Herzog & de Meuron, 1992
The extension by Herzog & de Meuron completes the existing cruciform complex so that a functional and contextual object is created. And it is organized around four distinctly different courtyards. Each arm of the existing cruciform receives an extension whose differing sizes or structural systems correspond to their respective topographic and urban context. The projecting, table-like configuration, on the west contains the entrance, lobby, restaurant and conference rooms and it acts like a head that terminates the complex; the adjacent courtyards to the east open to the park. The two lower sited and narrower extensions are oriented towards the town and are formed as glass cubes. The heavier configuration on the slope with its T-shaped plan form requires a load-bearing facade structure.
Herzog & de Meuron, 1992
FACTS
Herzog & de Meuron Team:
Partners: Jacques Herzog, Pierre de Meuron
Project Team: André Maeder
Competition Ranking:
1st Prize
Client:
Helvetia Versicherungen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
Partners: Jacques Herzog, Pierre de Meuron
Project Team: André Maeder
Competition Ranking:
1st Prize
Client:
Helvetia Versicherungen, St. Gallen, Switzerland
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.
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.
Wilfried Wang: Herzog & de Meuron.
3rd adv. and rev. ed. Basel / Boston / Berlin, Birkhäuser, 1998. (= Studiopaperback).
Edited by: Gerhard Mack. Chinese ed. Beijing, China Architecture & Building Press, 2010. Vol. No. 2.
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.
Wilfried Wang: Herzog & de Meuron.
3rd adv. and rev. ed. Basel / Boston / Berlin, Birkhäuser, 1998. (= Studiopaperback).
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