Administration Building in Vevey

The administrative headquarters of the Nestlé concern, situated on the north-east shore of Lake Geneva, is one of the outstanding works of the Swiss architect Jean Tschumi. Today, the complex is protected by conservation order. The building has now been completely refurbished, and the newly implemented measures include the insertion of a single-flight staircase. On one side, the dark wood treads project from a closed sheet-aluminium balustrade. Concealed within it is a solid steel beam with angles welded on, to which the steps are bolted. At their other end, the treads abut a series of narrow toughened-glass elements, more than four metres high, which are suspended from the ceiling above. Subject solely to tensile stresses, the glass elements absorb any springiness in the steps.