Saurer WerkZwei, building plot A - Presswerk

Arbon

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A piece of industrial history shines in new splendour

It is a long time since lorries were built in Arbon (TG). The plans to transform the former Saurer WerkZwei industrial area into a new district of Arbon had been on the table since 2007. In 2012 HRS acquired the more area of more than 200,000 sqm west of the train station to be continuously developed.

The Presswerk (pressplant), built between 1905 and 1910 served the Heine embroidery factory well into the 1940s as an energy centre. Subsequently, the Saurer company used it as a press plant for car body parts. Today, it is under a preservation order. In 2016 HRS Renovation completely renovated the building shell and in doing so laid the foundation for the new Presswerk Arbon culture and arts centre. In the South Hall, Saurer’s Oldtimer Club set up an exhibition warehouse for old timers and textile machines. The North Hall is used for Kulturzentrum Presswerk AG events, accommodating a capacity of 700 visitors, lovers of art, music, dance, theatre and exhibitions. Since 2017, The Music School of Arbon has been housed in the Head Building.

Restoration true to detail

The former press plant is a reinforced concrete construction in Hennebique style. François Hennebique (1842-1921) was considered a pioneer in using reinforced concrete and his system was installed in many buildings across Europe. In this respect, the former press plant is of great importance from an architectural-historical aspect, but also from a historical construction point of view.
During the renovation, the halls were reduced to their supporting structure. The roofs and façade were then restored true to historical detail and repaired. Since the building is under a preservation order, a restoration concept had to be presented for the preservation of historical monuments. The greatest challenge proved to be the historically accurate replica of the filigree wooden windows, some measuring five meters in height, with their extremely slender profiles. The new glass was produced in Fourcault style, which is typical of that era, to ensure that the appearance complied with that period. An endless flat strip of glass is drawn vertically directly from the glass melt.

Information

Owner
HRS Investment AG, Frauenfeld

Services rendered by HRS
Project developer, investor and sole contractor with full cost, quality and deadline guarantee, construction management mandate.

Architect
Zust Gubeli Gambetti Architektur and Städtebau AG, Zurich

Plot size
6,300 sqm

Total cost
CHF 2 million

Construction period
October 2015 – October 2016

Contact

HRS Real Estate AG
St. Leonhardstrasse 76
9000 St. Gallen

+41 58 122 87 00
st.gallen@hrs.ch

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