Swiss Film Archive, by EM2N

The new Swiss Film Archive, transforms the old building, creating new relations between program parts, and breaking the utilitarian structure on behalf of a more flexible organization. On the outer skin, rusting steel works as the uniforming element for the whole new complex.

Description of project by EM2N

Until recently the home of the national film archive was presented as a simple utilitarian accumulation of sheds. The existing structure, consisting of buildings arranged in a linear relationship to each other, is translated in the expansion project by means of new additions and remodeling into a composed, ambivalent form of parallel volumes of different lengths. Only the end situation is marked by angled cuts. The principle of layering is also to be found in the interior. The three circulation systems above one another penetrate the parallel cross-walls vertically, allowing the serial organization to be directly experienced.

Whereas the public areas are concentrated in Penthaz I, the archive itself is on the far side of the road in Penthaz II, which is conceived as a completely underground storage space that provides optimum protection for the culturally valuable artifacts. An urban disposition is developed that reacts to the adjoining farmland and creates a clear address for the institution. A shell of rusting steel encases the entire complex and binds new and old parts together.

Read less

Exterior view. Swiss Film Archive, by EM2N. Photography by Roger Frei.

Interior view. Swiss Film Archive, by EM2N. Photography by Roger Frei.

Storage room. Swiss Film Archive, by EM2N. Photography by Roger Frei.

Swiss Film Archive, by EM2N. Photography © Roger Frei.

Location plan. Swiss Film Archive, by EM2N.

Underground floor. Swiss Film Archive, by EM2N.

Ground floor. Swiss Film Archive, by EM2N.

First floor. Swiss Film Archive, by EM2N.

Elevations. Swiss Film Archive, by EM2N.

View more images

Metalocus recommends

Papuli Tower by Bofill Taller de Arquitectura. Rendering by Bofill Taller de Arquitectura

Tribute to the industrial past. Papuli Tower by Bofill Taller de Arquitectura

David B. Stewart In Memoriam

Oslo Residential by Christophe Rousselle Architecte. Photograph by Takuji Shimmura

Sobriety and urban warmth. Oslo Residential by Christophe Rousselle Architecte

More information

Label

Architects

Text

EM2N. Lead architects.- Marc Holle, Bettina Baumberger, Jean-Baptiste Joye.
Partners.- Mathias Müller, Daniel Niggli.

Label

Project team

Text

Pascal Deschenau, Yann Dubied, Marita Gelze de Montiel, Phillippe Jorisch, Robert Kuijper, Andrea Landell, Yoshihiro Nagamine, Noémi Necker, Tanja Schmid, Michael Zürcher.

Label

Client

Text

Bundesamt für Bauten und Logistik BBL.

Label

Dates

Text

2007-2010 (construction), December 2014 (estimated completion).

Label

Location

Text

Penthaz, Switzerland.

Label

Budget

Text

€ 40,000,000.

Label

Photography

Text

Roger Frei.

Architects EM2N

EM2N. With offices in both Zurich and Berlin, EM2N with Mathias Müller (*1966) and Daniel Niggli (*1970) has 80 collaborators working on construction and competition projects in Switzerland and abroad. In addition to several awards including ‘bestarchitects’, ‘Umsicht-Regards-Sguardi’, the ‘Auszeichnung Guter Bauten’ from the City of Zurich, the Canton of Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft, they received the ‘Swiss Art Award’ in Architecture. Mathias Müller and Daniel Niggli were visiting professors at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, as well as in Zurich. Daniel Niggli was a member of the construction commitees in Berlin (2008–12) and Zurich (2010–14).

Their important recent construction projects include the Heuried Sports Centre in Zurich (2017), the Housing Riedpark in Zug (2016), the Lucerne School of Art and Design in Emmenbrücke (2016), the Swiss Film Archive in Penthaz (2015), the Toni-Areal in Zurich (2014), the Keystone Office Building in Prag (2012) and ‘Im Viadukt’– Refurbishment of the viaduct arches in Zurich (2010). Planning has started on, among other projects, the Quartier Heidestrasse, Commercial area in Berlin (since 2016), the Housing Briesetrasse Neukölln in Berlin (since 2015), the New Museum of Natural History Basel and State Archives Basel-City (since 2015) and the Zellweger Parc, Plot D in Uster (since 2014).

EM2N is managed by Mathias Müller and Daniel Niggli together with their associates Bernd Druffel (*1972), Fabian Hörmann (*1978), Verena Lindenmayer (*1975), Björn Rimner (*1978), Gerry Schwyter (*1975) and Christof Zollinger (*1973).

Mathias Müller (1966) graduated in Architecture (1996) from Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETHZ). He develops his educative and professional career in Switzerland, where, since 1997, works as a partner of the EM2N office.

1996.- Thesis Prof. A. Meyer / Marcel Meili, ETH Zurich.
1997.- Created EM2N Architekten ETH / SIA.
2004.- Federal Art Awart – Architecture.
2005.- Visiting Professor ETH Lausanne.
2006.- Membership Federation of Swiss Architects.
2009.- 2011 Visiting Professor ETH Zurich.

Daniel Niggli (1970) graduated on Architecture (1996) by Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETHZ). He develops his educative and professional career in Switzerland, where, since 1997, works as a partner of the EM2N office.

1996.- Thesis Prof. A. Meyer / Marcel Meili, ETH Zurich.
1997.- Created EM2N Architekten ETH / SIA.
2004.- Federal Art Award – Architecture.
2005.- Visiting Professor ETH Lausanne.
2006.- Membership Federation of Swiss Architects.
2008 - 2012.- Member Baukollegium Berlin.
2009 - 2011.- Visiting Professor ETH Zürich.
2010 - 2014.- Member Baukollegium Zürich.