294 VitraHaus

Process

The VitraHaus at the entrance relates to the surroundings like a multiple vector.

The shape of the building was developed by defining the spatial needs and experimenting with their layout.

Early studies of stacked volumes and the emerging shape of a house.

Systematic investigation of variations on intersecting, intercut, and pivoted forms, based on existing and abstract house-shaped buildings.

Jacques Herzog, Rolf Fehlbaum and Pierre de Meuron study the intersecting forms.

At three interfaces, staircases create special places and specific routes through the showrooms.

Models and drafts of staircases as distinctive, biomorphic shapes set into the largely open interior.

Models, sketches, and drawings of benches that could be in a living room although they are industrially integrated into the construction of the walls.

Architects and client on-site, checking out materials, lighting, and the colors of the walls.

Concrete construction of the labyrinthine building, poured in situ.

Upon completion, VitraHaus presents an exciting flow of spacious and narrow interiors and becomes a luminous beacon in the landscape.

The Vitra Campus as of 2013

294_CP_220518_Vitra-Campus-Panorama_2022

The Vitra Campus as of 2022

Team

Partners: Jacques Herzog; Pierre de Meuron; Wolfgang Hardt (Partner in Charge)
Project Team: Guillaume Delemazure (Associate, Project Architect); Thomasine Wolfensberger (Associate, Project Architect); Charlotte von Moos (Project Architect); Katharina Rasshofer; Harald Schmidt; Sara Secci; Nicolas Venzin; Isabel Volkmar; Thomas Wyssen

Facts

Client: Vitra Verwaltungs GmbH, Weil am Rhein, Germany
Planning: Architect Planning: Herzog & de Meuron, Basel, Switzerland; Architect Construction: Mayer Baehrle Freie Architekten BDA, Lörrach, Germany; HVAC Engineering: Krebser und Freyler Planungsbüro GmbH, Teningen, Germany; HVAC Engineering: Stahl + Weiss, Freiburg, Germany; Construction Management: Krebser und Freyler Planungsbüro GmbH, Teningen, Germany; Electrical Engineering: Krebser und Freyler Planungsbüro GmbH, Teningen, Germany; Plumbing Engineering: Krebser und Freyler Planungsbüro GmbH, Teningen, Germany; Mechanical Engineering: Krebser und Freyler Planungsbüro GmbH, Teningen, Germany; Structural Engineering: ZPF Ingenieure AG, Basel, Switzerland; Landscape Design: August Künzel Landschaftsarchitekten AG, Basel, Schwitzerland; Kitchen Design: Edgar Fuchs GmbH, Kirchentellinsfurt, Germany
Specialist / Consulting: Acoustic Consulting: Horstmann und Berger, Altensteig, Germany; Building Physics Consulting: Horstmann und Berger, Altensteig, Germany; Facade Consulting: Frener & Reifer GmbH, Brixen, Italy; Fire Protection Consulting: IBB Grefrath Ing. Büro, Sallneck , Germany; Lighting Consulting: Ansorg GmbH, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany; Multimedia: Zihlmann electronics GmbH, Freiburg, Germany; Graphics: Graphic Thought Facility, London, United Kingdom; Interior Fitting: Visplay International GmbH, Weil am Rhein, Germany; Curtain Design: Création Baumann, Weberei und Färberei AG, Langenthal, Switzerland
Building Data: Site Area: 132'923 sqft, 12'349 sqm; Gross floor area (GFA): 44'411 sqft, 4'126 sqm; Footprint: 14'251 sqft, 1'324 sqm; Length: 187 ft, 57 m; Width: 177 ft, 54 m; Height: 68 ft, 21 m; Gross volume (GV): 803'585 cbft, 22'755 cbm; Facade surface: 83'958 sqft, 7'800 sqm
Links: www.vitra.com

Bibliography

Gerhard Mack, Herzog & de Meuron: “Herzog & de Meuron 2005-2007. The Complete Works. Volume 6.” Edited by: Gerhard Mack. Basel, Birkhäuser, 2018.

Luis Fernández-Galiano (Ed.): “Arquitectura Viva Monografías. Herzog & de Meuron 2005-2013.” Vol. No. 157/158, Madrid, Arquitectura Viva SL, 09.2012.

“Campus Vitra, Weil am Rhein, Alemania. Herzog & de Meuron. La Casa Vitrina, VitraHaus, Weil am Rhein.” In: Luis Fernández-Galiano (Ed.). “Arquitectura Viva Monografías. Laboratorio Basilea. Novartis, Roche, Actelion, Vitra: Campus de Autor.” Vol. No. 134, Madrid, Arquitectura Viva, 09.2010. pp. 64-73.

Fernando Márquez Cecilia; Richard Levene (Eds.): “El Croquis. Herzog & de Meuron 2005-2010. Programme, Monument, Landscape. Programa, Monumento, Paisaje.” Vol. No. 152/153, Madrid, El Croquis, 2010.

Nico Ros: “Spaziergang der Kräfte.” In: Verlags-AG der akademischen technischen Vereine (Ed.). “Tec 21. Alles im Beton.” Vol. No. 19, Zurich, Verlags-AG der akademischen technischen Vereine, 07.05.2010. pp. 22-28.

Frank Kaltenbach: “Spatial Sculpture or Furniture Market?. The VitraHaus plays with Simplicity and Complexity.” In: Christian Schittich (Ed.). “Detail. Review of Architecture and Construction. Small-Scale Housing.” english ed. Vol. No. 3, Munich, Institut für internationale Architektur-Dokumentation GmbH & Co., 05.2010. pp. 232-233.

Jonathan Bell: “Pitch Perfect. Herzog & de Meuron’s new Addition to Vitra HQ is our kind of glorious Pile.” In: Tony Chambers (Ed.). “Wallpaper. Design Interiors Fashion Art Lifestyle.” Limited Edition. Vol. No. 133, The Wallpapers Group, 04.2010. pp. 74-78.

Hubertus Adam: “Weil am Rhein. Präsentationsgebäude.” In: Katja Kohlhammer (Ed.). “Deutsche Bauzeitung. Zeitschrift für Architekten und Bauingenieure. Nachhaltigkeit Gestalten.” Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Konradin Medien GmbH, 04.2010. p. 56.

José María Faerna: “Un Día en la Casa del Diseño. VitraHaus de Herzog & de Meuron.” In: José María Faerna García-Bermejo (Ed.). “Diseño Interior. Interiorismo, Arquitectura y Diseño.” Vol. No. 213, Madrid, Globus Comunicación SA, 04.2010. pp. 54-64.

Cyrille Poy: “VitraHaus. Compression Verticale d’une Forme Archétypale. Vertical Compression of an Archetypal Shape.” In: Alban Sauvanet (Ed.). “L’Architecture d’Aujourd’hui.” Vol. No. 376, Paris, L’Architecture d’Aujourd’hui, 02.2010. pp. 11-24.

Luis Fernández-Galiano: “Ernsthafte Spielerei.” In: Cornel Windlin, Rolf Fehlbaum (Eds.). “Projekt Vitra.” Basel / Boston / Berlin, Birkhäuser, 2008. pp. 55-62.