{"id":116440,"date":"2026-08-17T13:01:32","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T13:01:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/116440\/"},"modified":"2026-08-17T13:01:32","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T13:01:32","slug":"pictets-fresh-zurich-office-historic-banking-reimagined","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/116440\/","title":{"rendered":"Pictet’s Fresh Z\u00fcrich Office: Historic Banking Reimagined"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fresh isn\u2019t a term typically used to describe the interiors of a bank, particularly one occupying a building from 1916. Yet this is the best word to illustrate the updated interiors of Pictet\u2019s new Z\u00fcrich office. Located on the city\u2019s historic Bahnhofstrasse, the Swiss private bank occupies a sizeable chunk of the former Leu Bank building, refurbished in partnership with Z\u00fcrich-based architect Tilla Theus.<\/p>\n

\"ModernSun-filled meeting room<\/p>\n

\"OrnateWarm welcome<\/p>\n

Pictet\u2019s head of arts and chief curator Loa Haagen Pictet, who was handed the keys amid pandemic lockdowns, was responsible for bringing the interiors of what she lovingly calls her \u201cconfinement baby\u201d to life. \u201cThe building was beautiful and full of symbols but it could also weigh you down a bit,\u201d she says as she takes Monocle on a tour. \u201cIf you weren\u2019t careful with how you adapted it, it might feel imposing. The whole aim was to bring in lightness and freshness while conveying the timelessness of this incredible building.\u201d<\/p>\n

The original architecture, designed by brothers Otto and Werner Pfister, aided this mission, blessing the site with wide windows, unusual in buildings from this era. \u201cIt was actually one of Z\u00fcrich\u2019s first reinforced-concrete buildings,\u201d Haagen Pictet says of the material innovation that allowed for the larger openings. Theus\u2019s sensitive renovation showcases the best of the Pfisters\u2019 classic design, which features beautiful marble tiling, parquet floors and fine marquetry. But for the all-important \u201cfreshness\u201d that Pictet needed, it called upon Turkish-British architect Sevil Peach and Berlin\u2019s Atheorem.<\/p>\n

A key challenge for the team was to elevate client and banker interactions by rethinking the meeting rooms. The aim was to take what potentially could be drab environments and transform them into areas for productive and enjoyable conversations and negotiations, no matter how lengthy they might be. \u201cThe ambition, particularly in meeting rooms without a view, was to make the people working in them feel valued and supported,\u201d says Peach. She adds that to create constantly inspiring areas, for both clients and staff, a colour-coding scheme keeps things interesting. \u201cIt means that people are not forever going into the same old rooms that all look the same,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

\"StationeryStationery organiser designed by Kunstgiesserei<\/p>\n

\"HermannHermann Scherer\u2019s \u2018Waldlandschaft\u2019 decorates a meeting room<\/p>\n

\"GrandBeautifully restored interiors<\/p>\n

The team took care to reflect each room\u2019s original purpose. A former stately boardroom, for example, was left feeling opulent, which makes it a perfect setting for major, multi-company negotiations. But a sunny space adjoining it \u2013 formerly a secretary\u2019s room \u2013 received minimalist touches, its sheer white walls and relaxed set-up creating the ideal break-out spot for clients after long talks.<\/p>\n

In terms of the bank\u2019s furnishings, the brief was to strive for quality pieces that would work harmoniously within the unique setting. That was met with Danish mid-century designs from the likes of Louis Poulsen and Carl Hansen & S\u00f8n. This had \u201cnothing to do with the fact that the curator is Danish\u201d, says Peach, with a smile. She does note, however, that Haagen Pictet\u2019s background did help her to see how designs from the likes of Arne Jacobsen and Hans J Wegner \u2013 some 70 years old and still looking incredibly modern \u2013 could add a sense of warmth and well-placed refinement to what could have become too grand a setting.<\/p>\n

\"BankThe vault contains 3,500 individual safes<\/p>\n

Swiss-made custom furniture played a part too, with Peach and Atheorem co-founder Carla Loewenberg working with art foundry St Gallen Kunstgiesserei on handsome new elements. One major commission was the addition of a floating stainless-steel counter for the regal entrance area. It provides a touch of lightness in an otherwise grandiose, marble-floored space. \u201cIt would have been easy for the furniture interventions to get lost in the strong presence of the historic building,\u201d says Loewenberg, noting how the sleek counter offsets the heaviness of a neighbouring marble statute of Hercules. \u201cBut we worked hard to create a three-part harmonious equilibrium, where you have this historic fabric, the added furniture and Pictet\u2019s wonderful art collection.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"WoodenArne Jacobsen\u2019s Butterfly chairs<\/p>\n

\"WomanChief curator Loa Haagen Pictet<\/p>\n

\"FramedBright Paul Camenisch watercolour<\/p>\n

Installed to harmonise with the various interior schemes is a fascinating collection of Swiss modern art, which is overseen by curator Haagen Pictet. \u201cWe\u2019ve mainly included paintings and works from the time when the building was built up until today,\u201d she says of the collection. All of the client meeting rooms are paired with one specific artist from the collection, whose work is placed in dialogue with the colours of the design. For example, the calm, contemplative nature of the printed ink clouds on late Bern artist Markus Raetz\u2019s Ohne Title, which hangs in one of the client meeting rooms, is complemented by a dusty-pink colour scheme. <\/p>\n

Other works, such as metal paint and fibreglass mushrooms by Geneva\u2019s Sylvie Fleury, scattered playfully across one of the building\u2019s public spaces, have more direct interactions with the architecture. \u201cWe do have challenging work,\u201d says Haagen Pictet, noting that the shiny fungi were a reference to society\u2019s consumerism. \u201cIt\u2019s important that we push people a bit with what we\u2019re doing here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ModernComfortable staff lounge<\/p>\n

\"ModernPull up a chair for a business lunch<\/p>\n

\"TillaTilla Theus\u2019s elaborate steel structure in the courtyard<\/p>\n

The most striking artworks are found along the length of two corridors. Here, site-specific pieces by Gerda Steiner & J\u00f6rg Lenzlinger are seen exploding with vibrant colours: one shows a collage of cactus flowers woven onto a jet-black backdrop. \u201cIt\u2019s more than just nice pictures on the wall here,\u201d says Haagen Pictet. And she\u2019s right. With daring commissions such as these, alongside displaying Swiss works that chime with the sophisticated interior, Pictet\u2019s brand values have been artfully brought to the fore.<\/p>\n

Nothing is simply for show, with every element \u2013 from design to art \u2013 serving a purpose, which is largely to inspire clients while simultaneously putting them at ease. \u201cThrough colour and materiality we\u2019re aiming to provide a sense of belonging,\u201d says Haagen Pictet. \u201cWe wanted to create something that works with the architecture, which can be spectacular at times,\u201d she adds, peering out of a window into the building\u2019s inner courtyard dominated by the criss-crossing steel of a massive spiderweb-like artwork by Theus (also doubling as support for the building in case of an earthquake). <\/p>\n

On the top floor, Haagen Pictet leads Monocle into a handsome converted loft that offers views of the city, Lake Z\u00fcrich and the snow-capped Alps beyond. Inside there\u2019s a sun-filled conference room and a lounge-like workspace for staff, the design of which puts most co-working spaces to shame. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe first thing I do is head to this room, throw my bag down and sit down to work,\u201d says Haagen Pictet. The curator describes the convivial environment here as a combination of \u201crootedness and elegance\u201d, which have been deftly deployed by the creatives behind the building\u2019s rebirth. And for those fortunate enough to spend time here, it\u2019s a design that \u2013 like the building and the Swiss bank occupying it \u2013 is here for the long haul. \u201cThis is the result we were aiming for: a site crossing classic and contemporary, all enhanced by the artwork,\u201d says Haagen Pictet.<\/p>\n

The Pfister brothers
Practising architecture from their family firm in Z\u00fcrich, brothers Otto and Werner\u2019s work spans various movements of the first half of the 20th century. Beginning with a romantic take on art nouveau, they moved into the more rational style of modernism in the 1930s. The siblings are responsible for some of Z\u00fcrich\u2019s best-known architecture, including the Enge train station, as well as infrastructure further afield, such as the Ryburg-Schw\u00f6rstadt Rhine power plant near Basel, which still operates today.<\/p>\n

The vault
One element of the building that didn\u2019t need too much of a touch-up was the majestic vault, which sits in the basement. The two-storey room features brass, marble and gold trimmings, with 3,500 individual safes for Pictet clients to stow away their most precious possessions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Fresh isn\u2019t a term typically used to describe the interiors of a bank, particularly one occupying a building…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":116441,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[6],"tags":[56699,56700,56701,51020,2009,11232,56702,56703,56704,50181,8286,56705,47438,16829,38060,51],"class_list":["post-116440","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-zurich","tag-architecture-renovation","tag-arne-jacobsen","tag-atheorem","tag-bahnhofstrasse","tag-banking","tag-contemporary-art","tag-historic-renovation","tag-loa-haagen-pictet","tag-mid-century-furniture","tag-office-design","tag-pictet","tag-sevil-peach","tag-swiss-art","tag-swiss-design","tag-tilla-theus","tag-zurich"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ch\/117110984259708249","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116440","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=116440"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116440\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/116441"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=116440"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=116440"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=116440"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}