Renovation of a heritage-protected building owned by the Swiss National Bank

Located at 8, Fraumünsterstrasse in Zurich, the property comprises an ensemble of four buildings dating back to between 1887 and 1889. The buildings were renovated and converted with an eye to preserving their character and accounting for new purposes.

Our services

To adapt the existing load-bearing structures and foundations to new specifications, we completed the planning for and oversaw the following construction measures:

• Earthquake-proofing (reinforcement of floors with horizontal steel trusses, installation of a vertical steel truss and reinforced concrete walls)
• foundation of quake-resistant walls with micropiles
• Installation of new utility elevator and pit below groundwater level
• Reinforcement of wood floor beams and steel-beam, tamped-concrete floor, partial replacement with new reinforced concrete slabs
• Installation of a new building-services unit in the attic with composite, steel-concrete slabs

Renovating a heritage-protected building

The execution of the construction measures in a heritage-protected building presented a special challenge, especially given the need to preserve the valuable stucco ceilings and coordinate the efforts of multiple contractors. For instance, we needed to carefully harmonize the arrangement of the earthquake-resistant, horizontal steel-truss structures with all cable ducts and floor structures.

Other challenges included the very limited space available for installing the micropiles and the need to secure all structures throughout the various renovation phases.

Picture Credits: EBP