The Valley

Naomi Hajnos Architecture & Interior

Short description

INITIAL SITUATION:
Not far from the motorway (Zürich-Winterthur), there is a quiet location in Kemptthal with a historically important area, called the MAGGI-AREA. In 1896 Alfred Dietz built the 'Centrale' for Julius Maggi the founder of the famous Maggi spices. A centrally symmetrical facility with coal bunker, boiler house, factory canteen and event hall. Some time ago, Givaudan, the global leader in fragrances, decided to relocate its headquarters to this location, bringing new life to the derelict site

CONCEPT:
The space is devided in two areas. canteen and pavillon; The canteen should again be available to the various users and employees of the area. The conversion of the property was planned and carried out in stages in close cooperation with the owner, the monument preservation authority and the new operators of the canteen (Migros Ostschweiz cooperative). Using the layering principle, several ceiling levels from different decades were removed until finally the original ceiling design from 1896 was uncovered again. The rediscovered ceiling painting gives the room a festivity and dignity that was not expected in a canteen in an industrial area.
In the pavilion, the situation was different. After asbestos was found in the interior plaster, it had to be removed and exposed brickwork appeared. The new mural stands out from the ballroom and thus strengthens the spatial relationship between the interior and the river area.

IMPLEMENTATION:
The pavilion is for the free flow and bistro use. These elements are also room dividers and create a link to the furniture.
In order to capture the unusually large dimensions of the two main rooms, generous room benches were designed, which, like the high tables, form zones and take on a dual function.
The finished picture is the result of an exciting journey through different times and a process of intensive examination of what was found.