Production and Office in Baar

Situated between an area of commercial developments and agricultural land, the building forms an extension to a factory for metalworking machine tools erected in 1963. The new complex consists of two sections: a production hall and an administrative tract. The contrasted black-and-white facades make reference to the traditional timber-framed buildings in this Swiss town. The development is distinguished by the different treatment of the facades, set outside a concrete skeleton-frame structure. The space between the two is used for circulation. A provisional facade to the north allows for a future extension of the building. Striking three-dimensional effects are achieved by the folded, angular form of the other faces, offset from floor to floor. The facades are in a post-and-rail form of construction filled with aluminium panels, copper elements and various types of glazing. The facades of the production and administration tracts differ only in the form of the infill panels. Three different kinds of elements were used for the offices: light-coloured aluminium panels to the apron walls; transparent double glazing; and specially developed translucent triple-glazed units 54 mm thick with integrated aluminium honeycomb panels. These serve to admit light or to screen it off, depending on the inclination of the sun. Prepatinated copper sheeting was used for the production hall facades to achieve a shimmering surface finish reminiscent of polished high-quality timber.