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Headquarters Brunner AG Furniture Solutions

By building its Swiss headquarters directly beside the A1 motorway the firm of Brunner (formerly Sedorama AG) steps boldly onto the big stage. Our architecture takes as its theme the firm’s core values: customer orientation and innovation. The firm does not sell ready-made designs here; but rather designs are adapted to meet clients’ needs. The hybrid building is a warehouse, dispatching centre, and workshop but also a showroom and an eye-catcher. Our principle of ‘both and’ is strongly evident in the design: the building is spectacular and restrained at one and the same time, efficiently constructed but also poetic and opulent. It is positioned at an interface between the poles of a utilitarian, functional architecture and its special role as a headquarters. Slightly concave on both sides, the volume turns towards the cars that drive past and creates an arrival space on the side facing the car park. Inside, the spatial principle of a cascading series of levels provides a real surprise. At the entrance a staircase brings you up to the piano nobile. From there the exhibition extends across a series of internal terraces connected by stairs. All surfaces are either left untreated or painted white. This powerful neutral background forms the stage for an exciting presentation of the products. Large windows draw your gaze outside across the motorway and into the hilly landscape around Bern. The facade conceals while also arousing curiosity. In a perforated metal membrane large panorama windows sit like eyes. At first glance the way they are placed seems arbitrary; it is only when you are inside the building that you grasp the logic behind it.

Photographs: © Roger Frei, Zurich
Aerial photograph: © Martin Bissig, Zug
Model photographs: © Hannes Henz, Zurich

Index: 178 SED
Dates: Commission 2011, Planning phase 2011–2012, Construction phase 2012–2013

Team EM2N
Partners: Mathias Müller, Daniel Niggli · Associate: Bernd Druffel · Project leader: Roger Küng · Project team: Dorothee Burkert, Lucius Delsing, Sofia Gaspar, Martin Schriener, Tanja Schmid, Balthasar Weiss
Model making: Jonas Rindlisbacher

Specialist planners
Construction management / construction realisation: Wenger Architekten AG, Ostermundigen · Civil engineer: Weber + Brönnimann AG, Berne · Landscape architecture: Balliana Schubert Landschaftsarchitekten AG, Zurich · Building physics: MBJ Bauphysik + Akustik AG, Kirchberg · Facade planning: Ediltecnica AG, Schönbühl Berne · Planning heating / ventilation / air-conditioning / and sanitary services: Roschi + Partner AG, Berne · Electrical services planning: CSP Meier AG, Berne · Lighting concept: Lichtkompetenz GmbH, Zurich · Interior design: Ippolito Fleitz Group GmbH, Stuttgart

Location
Schönbühl, Switzerland

Procedure
Direct commission

Client
Sedorama-Immobilien AG

Year
2011–2013

Status
Built

Program
Office, Showrooms, Storage spaces

Size
1,980 m²

Costs
5.2 m.