Hugo Boss Industries HQ, Switzerland, by Matteo Thun

A hard to miss sight against against the deep blue sky of Switzerland’s Canton Ticino, in Coldrerio, the Hugo Boss Industries headquarters strikes one with its unique wooden trellis work façade. Yes, one would expect wooden trellis in Switzerland. But not in the way architect Matteo Thun and Partners in Milan envisioned it.

Of course Thun wanted it to be functional but also convey the impression of a fabric weave, suggesting a
brand statement for the building’s inhabitant, the major fashion and textiles house Hugo Boss. The brilliant architectural design is a bold venture into the terrain of 3D corporate identity. It is also the fact that it is very
much an integral functional element of the building’s design as a whole.

The trelliswork façade is set at a distance from the central core, enclosing within it a balcony that runs right around the building on the first and second floors. In this way, it shields the core from rain and heat, enforcing the protective action of the glass curtain wall within. One gets the impression of something floating suspended
around the core:  the trellis hovers between the ground and first floor, gently swelling further as it rises to the top of
the second floor. The overall effect is
monumental.

Made of prefabricated steel, wood and concrete elements within a glass cube , the building houses a reception, conference room and showroom on the ground floor, while the first and second floors are open office workspaces. They are set around a central atrium filled with sunlight from a large overhead skylight.

The interiors are clean, functional, versatile: a masterful example of contemporary workspace design. Using dark grey concrete resin on the ground floor makes a bold statement for the visitor. Upstairs, the wooden floorboards and partition walls create a warm, comfortable and quiet atmosphere. The surrounding gardens were landscaped by Thun also: they are always visible through the glass walls and filtered by the trellis. Meaning that if you work inside, not only you are close to the gardens, you  can see them too.

The
contrast between the cold, modern high tech materials, burnished steel and
glass, and the warm tone of the wood aptly represent the dual
aspirations of contemporary architecture, increasingly divided between
technical performance and the need for a lighter, friendlier, more environmental approach
that is aware of its own effects.
The design was awarded the  2006 Neue Horizonte/Ideenpool Holz 21:
Elf Gute Ideen zu Holz
and also the 2007 Prix Acier – Swiss Institute of Steel Construction.

Total building area: 10.500 m2

Start date: 2005

End date: 2006

Project manager: Michael Catoir, Bruno Franchi, Florian Koehler

Team: Uta Bahn, Elisa Catoir, Bruno Franchi, Simone Fumagalli, Sabrina Wilms