Grubenstrasse 29

Since 2015, baubüro in situ has been working to densify a former industrial site in Zurich’s Binz neighborhood, guided by a strategy of minimal intervention through repair and renovation.

A recent example is the extension and renovation of an old factory at Grubenstrasse 29. The new upper floors offer high-quality office and studio spaces, while the restored lower levels continue to serve artists and craftspeople, preserving and enhancing the site’s diversity. The addition was built largely with natural materials such as wood, straw, and clay. Reused components were integrated wherever they reduced greenhouse gas emissions and were economically viable. Grubenstrasse 29 thus serves as another pilot project for building with optimized embodied energy and the first straw bale structure of this scale in the city of Zurich.

Zirkular supported the project from the outset by sourcing reused components – some from the original building, others from elsewhere – including the striking blue steel façade, stair towers, railings, windows, doors, insulation panels, and sanitary fixtures.

Through preservation, careful renovation, natural materials, and widespread reuse, substantial CO₂ savings were achieved compared to a conventional new build.