Kanzlei-Kreisel, Emmenbrücke

The project “Kanzlei-Kreisel” is situated in a prominent area with a significant public interest and at the juncture of differing settlements. On one side is located the traditional village area around Gerliswil Church, and on the other, a large-scale development along Gerliswilstrasse and Gersang railway station. Some of these developments have already been completed, while others are still under construction.

The challenges of the design task arise on the one hand from the heterogeneous surroundings and on the other from the highly demanding situation of a site that is surrounded by traffic flows.

The new urban building block reacts to the diverse requirements with different architectural means without getting lost in piecemeal efforts. In the direction of the city, it captivates by its clear presence and its integration into the existing road network; it uses the geometry of the site elegantly in order to create an attractive entrance for the bank. In addition, the building reacts to the small-scale character of the residential quarter and the landscape around the Gerliswil church by creating a terraced structure. The result is an expressive spatial figure that is characterized by both simplicity and variation.

By bending the northern facade towards the roundabout, a representative and visible entrance for the bank is created. The ground floor is inviting and lively with generous entrances and public areas. The row of trees along the Gerliswilstrasse will be extended towards Sonnenplatzgasse to achieve a clear demarcation and enhancement of this previously vague situation. The residential part is accessible from Gerliswilstrasse via a spacious, naturally lit vestibule and staircase.

The bank extends over the first two floors and is accessible internally via an elevator and a common staircase. The spacious sequences of living rooms, kitchen-loggias and dining rooms generate exciting spatial relationships and views and solve part of the noise protection requirements towards Gerliswilstrasse. The interlocking of the top floors generates attractive, high-ceilinged rooms facing the city, which are complemented by fireplaces to create cozy living oases. This spatial strategy allows a representative façade with large openings towards Gerliswilstrasse to be designed.

The new building is characterized by a robust and sober materialization. The otherwise smooth, brown-grey calm texture of the exposed brick wall receives an ornamental accent on the façade towards the roundabout. The simple, bright metal windows with their vertical articulation underline the timelessness of the architecture.