Client IG Immosip AG c/o UBS Fund Management (Switzerland) AG, Basel
Gross Floor Area 21‘126 m2
Team GG Feasibilitiy: Mike Guyer, Pieter Rabijns, Ivana Beljan
Palnning /Construction: Mike Guyer, Pieter Rabijns (Team/Project Manager), Ivana Beljan (Project Manager), Andy Gratwohl
General Planning Allco AG, Zurich
Landscape Architecture Lorenz Eugster Landschaftsarchitektur und Städtebau GmbH, Zurich
Cost Planning/Scheduling Allco AG, Zurich
Structural Engineer Aschwanden & Partner AG, Rüti
Electrical Engineer R+B Engineering AG, Brugg
Building Physics Engineer Lemon Consult AG, Zurich
Due to its central location directly at Rotkreuz railway station, the Kantonsschule Rotkreuz becomes a key meeting place. Together with the developments at Bahnhof Süd, the Dorfmatt Centre, and Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, it strengthens and consolidates the town centre of Rotkreuz.
The building responds volumetrically with a head and a wing; its head to the centre of Rotkreuz, and its wing to the neighbouring sports facility. A generous forecourt extends around the building, creating a transition to the sports grounds and the school’s outdoor areas to the east. An external staircase leading to a large rooftop terrace and landscaped pergola further expands this outdoor space. Along the west and south façade, arcades mediate between the interior and exterior spaces.
The new building for 44 school classes provides flexibly adaptable rooms and open areas for the implementation of new cooperative and interdisciplinary learning methods. The head contains the public spaces, such as the auditorium, media library, and the four-part sports hall, while the wing accommodates the general teaching classrooms.
The school building is characterized by a large public atrium in the head and several smaller atria in the wing, around which the individual learning clusters are arranged. The timber-hybrid construction remains visible and defines the character of the interior spaces.
The façades are equipped with photovoltaic elements on three sides, while the north façade integrates vertical greenery formed by climbing plants rooted in the ground.
Location Risch-Rotkreuz
Programme Cantonal school for 880 students in 44 classes.
Six- to eight-storey new building with class and subject rooms, auditorium, cafeteria, common areas, information centre with media library, staff rooms, and a triple and single gymnasium on the top floor.
Four internal atria create vertical connections.
Site planning with zones for outdoor teaching, a covered outdoor common area, and an outdoor cafeteria area.
Photovoltaics on the façades and roof surfaces, façade greening, and a green roof terrace with pergola, accessible via an external staircase.
Competition Dec. 2024 – Dec. 2025, 1st Prize
Gross Floor Area 18‘567 m2
Competition Organzier Hochbauamt Kanton Zug
Team GG Mike Guyer, Stefan Thommen, Elena Hofbeck, Sophie Judson, Matthias Clivio, Florian Meissner, Darius Ludwig-Dinkel (I), Dominic Pecina (I)
Construction Management Ghisleni Partner AG, Rapperswil
General Planning GP KS Rotkreuz Gigon Guyer Ghisleni
The Kantonsschule Reussbühl is situated on a knoll which is delimited to the north by the Roterwald woods and Kleine Emme river, to the south by the Ruopigen housing area. To the east it enjoys a pleasant view of Emmenbrücke. The situation is distinguished by spaciousness, nature and hills. The low, elongated new building references the traits of this location. It faces the existing main building from the 1970s, and together with this and the 1990s extension it frames an open space that serves as a versatile place for meeting, relaxing and learning and thus becomes the new centre of the cantonal school.
Various greening concepts structure the campus and create miscellaneous zones. The existing outside areas are complemented and seamlessly integrated into the densely landscaped open spaces. New plants and trees along the walkways mark the connections and improve shadowing. The enlarged biotope garden becomes a focal point and produces an image of untamed nature. On the eastern border, the new sports grounds make use of the flat topography and form a transition towards the residential district.
The design comprises the vision of a large building that unites all functions under one roof and fosters their mutual stimulation. The new building is arranged in three storeys which are spatially connected by an atrium. This provides access and serves as the building’s centre point. Through two opposing doorways on the long facades the building is entered. Multiple visual connections through the atrium into the upper storey, the lower gymnasium and the foyer of the multipurpose hall at ground level contribute to easy orientation within the building. On the upper level, the classrooms, group and preparation rooms along the facades envelop the access cores, patios and open working places. Collectively they create an extensive teaching and learning landscape. The underground level contains the gyms and changing rooms, as well as other functional rooms that receive natural light thanks to the sloping terrain.
The fire protection concept and the load-bearing structure of timber posts and beams, slender concrete ceilings and a central concrete core as well as accessible technical installations grant maximum flexibility in terms of spatial layout. On the outside, the volume is characterised by a concrete structure with circumferential protruding balconies placed in front of the generously glazed wooden facades. The building appears like a large pavilion in close relation to the scenery
Location Lucerne
Programme New building for 18 classes (550 students) with triple gymnasium and outside sports facilities, remodelling of the open spaces
Competition March – July 2022, 1st Prize
Planning/Construction 2024 – 2030
Client Finanzdepartement Kanton Luzern
Gross Floor Area 10‘976 m2
Team GG Planning/Construction: Mike Guyer, Christian Maggioni (Team Manager), Damien Andenmatten (Project Manager), Pauline Golüke
Competition: Mike Guyer, Stefan Thommen, Carlo Magnaguagno, Dylan Kreuzer, Sophie Ballweg, Vanessa Ebert (I), Thea Bonatz (I)
General Planning GP was GmbH c/o GKS Architekten, Lucerne
Over the next few years, an important working location called ‘Werkstadt Zürich’ will emerge on the site of the SBB Werkstätten on Hohlstrasse next to the Duttweiler bridge. Here, historic industrial buildings that foster a sense of identity will be joined by new buildings and public uses in the outdoor spaces. With a target of 5 kg CO2-eq per m² (energy reference area), ambitious standards are being set for the construction of the new Building X in terms of sustainability.
The oblong, seven-storey volume with the northern cantilever is located on Hohlstrasse in a privileged urban location. As the first new development, Building X is intended to showcase the transformation of the site from the SBB Werkstätten into a ‘Werkstadt’ with urban production, creative business and a cultural scene. This is achieved through a mixture of diverse uses and a comprehensive utilisation of reuse materials, which relates to the history of the site and creates a specific aesthetic of sustainability.
The ground floor with retail spaces and a freely accessible first floor, the so-called ‘Stadtgeschoss’ with public services, form the base, which faces the neighbourhood on Hohlstrasse and the site on Hohlgasse. The 2nd to 5th floors contain two-storey commercial units with galleries, to be used according to the specific needs of the tenants. The building is topped off by a semi-public storey with commercial space and gastronomy for tenants.
Two entrances from Hohlstrasse lead to the two building cores, which provide vertical access. In addition, an external, single-flight staircase along the south façade takes visitors directly to the balcony of the ‘Stadtgeschoss’. The roof, which is angled out of the façade, highlights the public entry and at the same time offers both a pleasant ambience and protection. On the north side, the cantilever responds to the Hohlgasse within the site and forms a covered delivery zone. This side has an industrial character, whereas the outdoor area on Hohlstrasse conveys an inviting atmosphere with a variety of ground surfaces, seating and green areas.
Reclaimed rails, steel profiles, corrugated fibre cement panels, reused windows, stairs, gratings and railings characterise the elevations of the building. History and time are present everywhere in the weathering and wear marks of the materials. The strategy of patina is continued and the building is firmly anchored at the location of the former SBB Werkstätten. Building X makes a contribution to the iconographic potential of repurposed components, creating an architecture that uses resources consciously during construction and operation, with optimised CO2 emissions and low consumption of grey energy.
Location Zurich
Programme New commercial building:
Ground floor: retail spaces
1st floor ‘Stadtgeschoss': public services
2nd floor - 5th floor: high-ceilinged commercial spaces with intermediate galleries according to tenant requirements,
6th floor: commercial space and gastronomy for tenants
Competition Gesamtleistungswettbewerb Team Gigon Guyer and Leuthard Baumanagement March 2024, 1st Prize
Planning/Construction 2024–2028
Client Schweizerische Bundesbahnen SBB AG represented by SBB AG Immobilien
Gross Floor Area 7'826 m2
Team GG Planning/Construction: Mike Guyer, Stefan Thommen (Team Management), Carlo Magnaguagno (Project Management) Competition: Mike Guyer, Stefan Thommen, Carlo Magnaguagno, Cléa Peretti,
Celia Diederichsen (I), Matthias Eberle (I), Till Nüesch (I)
Total Contractor Leuthard Baumanagement AG, Merenschwand
Programme Refurbishment and reinforcement of the listed parking deck
with 568 spaces:
Replacement/refurbishment of the car park roofs, 3 new escape stairways,
photovoltaic installation (approx. 4.500 m²),
charging stations for electric vehicles.
The facility building and the Herdern high-rise building form an
ensemble (built in 1965 by the architects Hans Vogelsanger, Ernst Schwarzenbach, Albert Maurer).
Commission 2020 (Feasibility Study)
Planning/Construction 2020–2026
Client Genossenschaft Migros Zurich
Gross Floor Area 14‘220 m2
Team GG Planning/ Construction: Mike Guyer, Stefan Thommen (Team Manager), Lilla Kis
Feasibility Study: Mike Guyer, Stefan Thommen (Team Manager), Urs Meyer, Milica Brockmann
The CreaTower I office high-rise (40 metres) is currently under construction in the Tech Cluster Zug. Together with the CreaTower II residential building placed on a large plinth, it forms a harmonious ensemble and creates a central square.
The ten-storey block is accessed via an arcade facing the public square. The new building has an almost square column grid with a off-centre, two-part core. The bays along the façades accommodate the workplaces in various arrangements, as well as the meeting rooms and the inset, two-storey terraces. The four interior bays adjacent to the core are a place of exchange and informal meetings, with helically ascending, two-storey atriums and open spiral staircases. It is this central void, with horizontal and vertical views and varying headroom, which connects the floors into a continuous, inspiring work landscape. At the same time, the sequence of these diverse spaces gives the users a sense of scale and intimacy. The terraces feature intensive planting and are arranged in staggered pairs that spatially connect three storeys. The entrance hall with the customer centre is located on the ground floor, while the top floor houses the communal areas with a patio as a spacious outdoor lounge.
The supporting structure is a prefabricated modular construction with columns, beams and five-part vaults. The latter are only subjected to compressive loads, utilise ribs and have correspondingly slender dimensions. These are RFS ceilings that were developed by the Block Research Group at ETH Zurich during the last decade. Using a 1:1 mock-up, the vault was tested for deformations, vibrations, structural and spatial acoustics, fire resistance, building services installations, manufacture and costs, thus demonstrating its feasibility. Compared to a conventional slab construction, the column, beam and vault structure has significantly less mass and saves around 50% CO2 emissions. As the ceiling bays can be easily opened or closed during the life cycle, the load-bearing system meets the client’s requirements for adaptability. The ribs trace the undersides of the vaults, frame the acoustic surfaces and create a striking ornamental pattern that characterises the appearance of the interior spaces. On the façades, the internal vaults can be made out by the curved lintels at the openings which define the external appearance of the building.
Lecture
by Philippe Block and Mike Guyer at «15. Schweizer Betonforum», 07.06.2023, ETH Zurich «CreaTower I – RFS Decken» (PDF Download)
Location Tech Cluster Zug, Switzerland
Programme Office high-rise (40 m) with 450 workplaces,
foyer, meeting rooms, cafeteria,
ground floor with public areas: café/ bistro
Feasibility Study 2022, 1st Prize
Planning/Construction 2023–2028
Client Urban Assets Zug AG, Zug User: VZ Depotbank AG
Gross Floor Area 13‘272 m2 (competiton)
Team GG Planning/Construction: Mike Guyer, Stefan Thommen (Team Manager), Daniela Schadegg (Project Manager until Oct. 2023), Urs Meyer (Project Manager from Nov. 2023), Ivana Beljan, Urh Urbancic, , Nathalie Reiz
Competition: Mike Guyer, Stefan Thommen, Carlo Magnaguagno, Dylan Kreuzer, Sophie Ballweg
Site Management Büro für Bauökonomie AG, Lucerne
Construction Management Büro für Bauökonomie AG, Lucerne
General Planning «Generalplanergemeinschaft CreaTower» Gigon Guyer Partner Architekten AG and Büro für Bauökonomie AG
The existing housing development Brunnenhof, owned by the ‘Stiftung Familienwohnungen’, was designed by Gigon/Guyer in a competition in 2003 and completed in 2007. In response to the high demand for affordable family apartments, the development is extended to the south with a 40-meter-high building. Compared to the earlier buildings, the added apartments are arranged in a more compact way, with less space required per occupant. The new building meets the tight cost criteria of the municipal subsidy for low-cost housing.
Located directly on Bucheggplatz, the plot is flanked by Hofwiesentrasse to the south and west. To the east it adjoins the park with the Buchegg neighborhood center, and to the north the existing Brunnenhof development. The slender, 13-storey volume forms a termination for the lower slab buildings of the Brunnenhof-/Hofwiesenstrasse development as well as a prominent head-end building on Bucheggplatz. The extension continues the concept of the multi-angled existing blocks. It connects directly to the long, narrow building along Hofwiesenstrasse, angles eastwards to the park and creates a generous forecourt through an offset away from the street. A long projecting roof marks the two entrances. Together with the forecourt, this emphasizes the role of the western side as the main urban façade. To the south, the park with its large trees extends all the way to Bucheggplatz, creating an ample new approach.
On the ground floor, a lofty space for public use is oriented towards Bucheggplatz. The entrance hall on Hofwiesenstrasse provides access to the upper floors, to the community rooms and, via a multifunctional room, to the park. This creates an immediate link between the street space and the green area. The community rooms can be joined together by means of a mobile partition wall and face both the street and the park, where a tranquil outdoor area steps down towards the existing buildings. The multifunctional room and the community rooms can be connected for events and festivities.
The first and second floors accommodate office spaces. Above, the typical floors contain twenty 5.5-room apartments for large families, two on each level. All bedrooms face the quiet park. The eat-in kitchens extend along Hofwiesenstrasse between the entrance zones with wardrobes and the living rooms with corner loggias overlooking the park. Centrally placed bathrooms allow for a circulation loop, lending the apartments spaciousness. The balcony on the park side runs the entire length of the building, expanding the bedrooms on the outside and connecting them to the two corner loggias.
The design principles of the existing façades are continued in the extension: horizontal concrete strips, wood/metal windows with parapets and railings, colored glass cladding on the south, west and north façades, sliding panels of colored transparent and translucent glass as well as metal picket railings on the eastern balcony layer. The color concept for the new building is based on Adrian Schiess' continued elaboration.
Location Zurich
Programme High-rise 40 m
Ground floor: public use, community rooms, multifunctional room
1st and 2nd floor: office space
3rd to 12th floor: 20 5.5 room apartments
Commission 2020
Planning/Construction 2020–2028 ARGE Erweiterung Brunnenhof Architecture: Annette Gigon / Mike Guyer Architects, Zurich Construction Management: Güntensperger Baumanagement AG, Zurich
