PostFinance headquarters
Berne
A landmark for contemporary construction
In June 2008 the Swiss Post group management decided to consolidate the places of work previously spread across five locations in Berne at one new head office. HRS launched the idea of a high-rise office building for the BEA exhibition site and the new arena development in the Wankdorf vicinity and announced a competition for it, which Büro B/Overhage & Roggo architects’ working group won. Their project offered idealistic urban planning solutions and fulfilled the requirements in terms of the space concept and flexibility. After almost 50 years, the 13-storey building standing 55 metres with its double glass façade was the first high-rise building to be built in the capital again. As one of Berne’s largest buildings, it signifies the urban planning concept of a contemporary building from afar.
In mid-2013, around 850 PostFinance AG employees were brought together in this representative landmark, only a stone’s throw from the arena. The workplaces are all close to a window.
Each floor has its own large object of fine art in the core zone. The 80-person cafeteria offering light refreshments on the ground floor is also open to visitors and passers-by. It offers a pleasant view of the plinth roof featuring lavender, herbs, grasses and even strawberries.
A special energy concept – with battery operation for emergencies
18 probes at a depth of 330 metres deliver the desired low-temperature heat via heat pumps, which is emitted via combined heating-cooling ceilings. At high temperatures, the system can be reversed and used as an air-conditioning system. The residual heat from the exhaust air is picked up via heat exchangers and fed back into the heating circuit. The system is designed in such a way that the temperatures remain constant regardless of solar radiation and shade. Refrigeration compressors are activated when the sun shines or when the geothermal probe no longer produces cold air. The technical equipment of the building also includes an emergency power storage unit. It is battery operated and can supply 100 workstations for 4-5 hours. The building is MINERGIEECO®-certified. 80% of the concrete has been recycled.
A demand for speed and precision
Special challenges were the short construction period and unexpected depth of integration. The stakes were lowered to a depth of 32 metres and the excavation was carried out at night. Since the integration depth varied from the geological prediction, the foundations had to be 6 metres higher in places.
Information
Owner
Swiss Post Ltd, Berne
Services rendered by HRS
Project developer and sole contractor with full cost, quality and deadline guarantee.
Architect
Buro B, Architekten and Planer AG, Bern Overhage & Roggo Architekten AG, Berne
Plot size
15,000 sqm
Total cost
CHF 90 million
Construction period
October 2010 – March 2013