Swatch: Cité du Temps
Biel/ Bienne
From housing to schools, from museums to infrastructure: exposed concrete is also part of Marti’s DNA. Discover with #ExposedConcrete a selection of our projects where technical precision meets architectural ambition
A reinforced concrete base supports the five-storey timber construction. A vaulted structure and 28 slender, in-situ concrete columns transfer the load to the foundations. Bar reinforcement of the vaulting, used for shaping as well as structural reasons, presented a particular challenge. Thinner, more bendable bars were thus situated along the course of the formwork, along with thicker bars independent from the surface geometry for the structure.
| Client | The Swatch Group AG |
| Architect | Shigeru Ban Architects, Tokyo |
| Engineer | Schnetzer Puskas Ingenieure AG, Basel |
| Main Contractor | Joint Venture Frutiger AG / |
| Construction Period | 2014–2019 |
Impressions
Facts & Figures
Special Features
- Load bearing reinforced concrete base structure forming the foundation for the five storey timber construction
- Load transfer achieved through a sophisticated vaulted structure supported by 28 slender in situ concrete columns
- Highly complex reinforcement system within the vault: a combination of thin, easily bendable bars for shaping and thicker bars specifically for structural resistance
- Dual layer reinforcement logic: geometry aligned placement following the formwork contours combined with statically optimised reinforcement zones
- High precision in situ concrete work despite complex curvatures and varying reinforcement diameters
More projects
- Tunnel constructionBelchen Tunnel Renovation, A2
- Ballastless trackCeneri Base Tunnel, lot “track and logistics”
- Tunnel constructionCERN – extension particle accelerator
- ProjektConstruction by Mancini Marti
- Percent for artDesign museum Mudac and Musée de l’Elisée
- ProjektDeutschsprachige Orientierungsschule Freiburg
