Ambassador House

Opfikon-Glattbrugg, Switzerland

Photo © Rory Gardiner, London

Photo © Jürg Zimmermann, Zürich

Architects: Stücheli Architekten

Location: Thurgauerstrasse 101, 8152 Opfikon-Glattbrugg, Switzerland
Year: 2017
Client: Credit Suisse Real Estate Fund Interswiss, UBS (CH) Property Fund - Swiss Residential «Anfos», UBS (CH) Property Fund - Swiss Mixed «Sima»

When Ambassador House was completed in 1989, it towered like a post-modern Noah’s ark over the centre of the suburban area that joined north Zurich and the Zurich airport. The new Glattpark district did not yet exist, and neither did the Glattalbahn railway system. The complete renovation aims to integrate the prominent building with its altered urban surroundings and accentuate its cuboid shape. The three-part structure of foundation, central building and upper floors has been preserved. The tower-like superstructure embellished with round arches, which used to contain hotel rooms, has been replaced by purely functional service towers. This means that, despite being over 30 metres tall, the building is no longer subject to high-rise regulations. The inner courtyards of the upper floors have been extended down to the ground floor, and the equivalent space added to the upper levels instead. The central building now sweeps over the new main entrance on Thurgauerstrasse. The entire ground floor and part of the first floor are intended for public use such as restaurants, retail, conferences and fitness spaces. The rest of the floors are used as offices. With a total of 57,000 m2 i.e. almost an entire football field per floor, the building offers one of the biggest connected office spaces in Switzerland.