Production Hall Grüsch

Unlike the first two buildings, the Start-up Offices (2001) and the Production and Research Building (2004), which are stacked volumes that rotate above ramped excavations, the new pavilion is a low-lying freestanding temple-like building situated on a low concrete base.

Like the two existing pavilions the new one is offset from the others to ensure views and open orientations from and to the Prättigau Valley. The siting of the building is emphasized by its placement in a grass and wildflower meadow on three sides with the entrances on the rear campus.

The flat roof is constructed by laying laminated timber beams in two opposing directions on top of each other emphasizing the craft and logic of wood construction. The main beams are designed as twin beams (each 100 x 18cm), the purlins measure 60 x 12cm.

The massing and wood construction speaks for the alpine and agricultural/industrial context the building is situated in. The roof construction cantilevers beyond the glass facades aligned flush with the concrete base creating a covered (from snow and rain) exterior walkway around the four sides of the 48 by 68 meter building. In this way the pavilion is very much a tectonic of additive and repetitive timber elements that convey the weight and substance of this sustainable material. The timber roof and facade in turn rest on concrete columns and base. The wood (natural and stained) is complimented by galvanized steel folding service doors and beam caps to prevent excessive weathering of the wood beams.

The wooden facade has a column grid of 1.50 m. On the east and the west side the posts are doubled, so that they can “embrace” the purlins. The facade has triple glazing and external sun protection. Another component of the sustainability concept is the use of groundwater for heating and cooling with high efficient heat exchangers.

The interior is simply divided into spaces for production, a clean room of 700 sqm, lobby, loading and shipping bay and a compact office zone with a break area on top of it. Changing rooms and mechanical spaces are allocated to a partial lower basement level.

The spruce wood interior is stained white. To the lower edge of the main beam the hall has a clear height of 4.50 m. The depth of the roof construction is used for all structure, mechanical systems and lighting. These elements are exposed, visible, and matter of fact underscoring the industrial use of the building. The construction type and repetition of elements made this a very economical and fast-to-build structure. The total construction time was less than one year; once the concrete columns were situated, the entire wooden structure of the roof could be completed within two weeks.

Production Hall Gruesch, Switzerland
Program: production hall with clean room
Architects: Barkow Leibinger
Area: 4.500 sqm
Client: Trumpf Gruesch AG
Structural Engineering: Conzett, Bronzini, Gartmann AG
Mechanical Engineering: Hans-Luzi Zuest
Electrical Engineering: Brueniger & Co. AG
Completion: 2013