Energy Centre in Zurich by Graber Pulver Architects

For the Josefstrasse energy centre in Zurich West, Graber Pulver designed a translucent shell to envelop the technical equipment. This unusual facade reflects the building's location in a popular residential and business district, which was an industrial area 35 years ago. From the outside, it is difficult to guess that the building is primarily used for district heating. The towering chimney reveals that the plant produces heat – although only during peak demand periods in winter.  

This chimney forms part of an older structure: a waste incineration plant which first began operating in 1904, and was subsequently expanded in the 1970s and 1990s. This existing structure has now been significantly reduced in size and converted. The energy centre's facade consists of up to three layers of profiled glass, some with transparent thermal insulation and some without. This layering enables the envelope to be planned in sections according to the required energy efficiency. 
 
Further information, including extensive sections in 1:20 and 1:10 scales as well as explanations of the layer structure of the facade, can be found in Detail 12.2025 and in our Detail Inspiration database.