Hamel building

A hub of public life

The "Hamel" forms the most northern part of the Saurer WerkZwei. The former extensive industrial site is south of the historic old part of the city of Arbon, just a few meters from the banks of Lake Constance. The plant of the former spinning and twisting machine factory is under monument protection and is a contemporary witness of industrial history. HRS Investment acquired not only the 208,000 sqm Sauer WerkZwei plot, but also the Hamel building from the city of Arbon. HRS Renovation was then appointed as the overall contractor by the pension fund of St Gallen to carry out its conversion and expansion. A public subway linking the bus terminal, Hamelplatz and Arbon railway station guarantees a high degree fluctuation of passers-by in and around the Hamel building. The renovated building thus assumes the function of a hub with contemporary residential, retail and service areas.

Understanding the past to shape the future

With the overall restoration, the annexes were demolished so that the building today appears in its historic form. The architects were guided by the knowledge that the planning process for a listed building is fundamentally different from that of a normal conversion and even more so from that of a new build. The aim was to identify and protect the traces as well as the potential in the often no longer recognisable original building. Research, searching for traces, analysis and broad reading were essential prerequisites and tools for planning the assignment. During the construction phase, new discoveries had to be addressed. A particular challenge proved to be assuring the efficiency of the load-bearing structure and securing it. At the same time, the integrity of the building had to be guaranteed despite the required flexibility of use.