Bringing Back Life to Zurich’s Main Promenade

• Project: Swiss Life Brannhof
• Project Name: Revitalisierung Bahnhofstrasse 75/79, Zürich
• Building Owner: Oscar Weber AG c/o Swiss Life AG
• Location: Zurich, Switzerland
• Concept: Mix-use; 4600m2 Retail, 5600m2 Office
• Restoration costs (GAB): over CHF 100 Mio.
• Construction Management: b+p baurealisation
• Completion: Autumn 2023

In the fall of 2023 new tenants will receive their keys to the reconstructed spaces at the main promenade of Zurich, where Swiss Life is currently renovating two historical properties. Paying homage to the famous commercial building previously occupied by Manor, the new design will offer retail spaces from the ground level up, enlivening the renowned shopping street Bahnhofstrasse.

From the second floor upwards, spaces will be transformed into attractive, modern offices with an unbeatable central location. The objective is to create a genuine meeting place in downtown Zurich.

Visualization: «Architecture SPPA, Image: maaars, Zürich

Having originally been built by the successful retailer Julius Brann, the building was architectonically groundbreaking in the early 1900s. With respect to its roots, the developer has named the refurbishment project «Swiss Life Brannhof». The renovation will reveal the original atriums and inner courtyards and carefully restore all the 438 pieces of stained glass by the architect Otto March.

b+p baurealisation takes smino on a tour of the “Swiss Life Brannhof” construction site

To ensure the triumphant execution of a complex, large-scale construction project, Swiss Life has contracted the b+p baurealisation, which is specialized in the management of challenging construction projects. They have been able to deliver successful outcomes such as extending the art museum Kunsthaus and restoring the Villa Rosau in Zurich with the help of smino’s web application for managing construction projects. smino’s digital platform centralizes all project-related information and connects every person involved with each other.

The b+p baurealisation employees using smino in their daily work have been spreading the word about increased efficiency, having saved valuable working hours by taking advance of smino’s automated protocols and task management functionalities.

The smino team was in awe, as the Swiss Life Brannhof’s Senior Construction Manager Sandro Commetti guided us through the construction site. Not only honoring the historical architecture, but the building will also be respectful to the environment. A new intelligent energy concept will provide synergy between the cooling and heating demands, worthy of an internationally recognized DGNB Silver sustainability label.

A heartfelt thank you from our team at smino for this collaboration on yet another impressive construction and renovation management project!

The team from smino (from left to right): Sandor Balogh, Dominik Karl, Danilo Mariano, Brahim Najid, Mim Burri & Markus Kuhlmann at the construction site of  «Swiss Life Brannhof»