The new facility meets the different needs of the city archive and the ambulance garage in a compact structure. The existing ensemble of publicly used buildings is complemented in its volumetric composition as a quadrant. The urban planning logic of the precisely set volumes will be continued, which will complete the streets.
The façade design does not continue the work yard character of the ensemble. Instead, the elegantly functional administrative building contributes to the desired urban upgrading and revitalisation of the neighborhood.
The supporting structure of the building is kept very simple. Four access cores and four pillars dissipate all vertical loads down to the basement and at the same time reinforce the building. The floors as well as the facades can thus be set free all around and offer maximum freedom and flexibility for current and future uses. The ribbed ceilings made of in-situ concrete are designed to be used throughout the entire floor spaces with Compactus systems.
Ambulance garage and city archive Biel. Status: Competition entry (not ranked). Location: Biel (BE). Schedule: Design phase 2017. Cooperation: with Fürst Laffranchi Engineers [structural engineering]. Organizing body: Building construction division, Department for building energy and environment, City of Biel. Surface area: approx. 4'500 sqm. Collaborators: Michael Wagner, Raphael Vanzella, Sophia Disiou.