Architectural history of the Mythenquai, part 4

The Klubhaus was built as a staff restaurant in 1957-1958 by architect Hans Hofmann (1897-1957). The building was also designed to provide suitable reception facilities for business partners, and to serve as the company's own venue for the annual general meeting and internal events. In conceptual terms, the white pavilion took the shape of a one-storey floating cube on support columns. The basement floor provided parking spaces and facility rooms, while the square upper floor comprised the dining rooms and the kitchen. Two open flights of stairs led up to the rooftop terrace.

The Klubhaus was built as a reinforced concrete skeleton construction. A floor-to-ceiling band of windows with finely profiled glass surfaces runs around the building, contained by a parapet with a flower border. In keeping with the principles of modernism, these elements highlight the horizontal dimension and shift the focus of attention to the lake and the lakeside park.

An additional storey on the rooftop terrace

With the conversion of the Klubhaus in line with the concept of Jacques Schader (1917-2007) in 1978-1979, an additional recessed storey was added, the ground floor was fully converted and a staircase granting spatial views was integrated in the centre of the building.

Apart from modernising the technical infrastructure, SAM Architekten und Partner AG also made it their task in 1998-2000 to optimise operational processes and create flexible dining facilities that would satisfy the highest demands. A new central area with a kitchen and vertical interconnections freed up space for the dining rooms. Each of the various facilities was allocated to a different floor: the cafeteria on the ground floor, the staff restaurant on the 1st floor and the guest restaurant on the 2nd floor.