The new L-shaped office building opposite the Tonhalle on the corner of Gotthardstrasse and Claridenstrasse is integrated into the perimeter block structure along Claridenstrasse and tapers in width towards the lake. Villa Rosau and its surrounding gardens remain true to their historical conception. The green area forms a twin garden with the park of the Hotel Baur au Lac on the opposite side of the Schanzengraben canal. The newbuild marks the westerly end of the two gardens, whose beautiful trees border the public square Bürkliplatz.
The parks of Villa Rosau and Hotel Baur au Lac on Lake Zurich bear important witness to the history of the city’s expansion. The gardens flow around the villa and the new building so that the perimeter block development and the freestanding villa in the park form a coherent ensemble. The convergence of architectural and organic garden design also reinforces the organization of the green space into different zones.
New Rosau Office Building
The new five-storey building provides a prestigious location for an international reinsurance company. Main access is from Claridenstrasse, with a spacious entrance hall and staff restaurant, as well as conference rooms on the ground floor. The four floors above house open plan offices, which are connected by three major staircases. The top floor is set back, creating ample terraces on both sides. At the southern end, the boardroom offers vistas across the lake.
The vehicle access divides the ground floor into two separate areas and grants a view from the street to the garden. A public bar and grill are situated at the street corner. The underground parking is accessed from Gotthardstrasse, as are further offices that can be sublet on the upper floors. The upper floors of the wing facing Schanzengraben accommodate two apartments.
The structure is a skeleton frame with recessed columns, braced by centrally located concrete circulation cores. Vertical and horizontal profiles of architectural bronze arranged in varying rhythms articulate the façade. They take up, on a larger scale and with greater geometric regularity, the existing ornamental wrought-iron fences surrounding the gardens.
