Newsroom
  • Xella.com
  • Contact
  • en
  • |
  • de
  • News
  • Press
    • Media Library
  • Themes
    • Company
    • Digitalization
    • Innovation
    • People
    • References
    • Sustainability
  • About
Search
  • en
  • |
  • de
  • News
  • Press
    • Media Library
  • Themes
    • Company
    • Digitalization
    • Innovation
    • People
    • References
    • Sustainability
  • About

How to renovate and insulate a listed paper factory

An almost hundred years old paper factory in Switzerland is being transformed into a new living and working space with an industrial flair. The former warehouse is already finished: Careful preparation, targeted use of sustainable building materials, and bright ideas have not only preserved the old industrial charm, but also made the most of it. An example for architects tackling challenging renovation projects.

28 August, 2023

The restoration of the 1928 warehouse of the "Papieri Areal", a former paper mill in the picturesque town of Cham, Switzerland, was about two things: improving the thermal insulation and preserving the historic appearance. Xella met these requirements according to the specifications of Barmettler Architects.

Sophisticated and historic renovation with Ytong

In the interior of the building, the team of architects found a particularly simple but effective solution to both improve the thermal insulation and to preserve the historic appearance: A non-load-bearing of 25 cm thick Ytong autoclaved aerated concrete blocks, set two centimeters forward, now acts as an additional layer of insulation. This reduces energy consumption and comfort, while preserving the characteristic exposed brickwork. New materials, including cement-bonded particleboard and three-ply spruce panels, have also been precisely joined.

 
The interior originally featured a second, open level as a wooden structure. A centrally located technical room, restrooms and stairs to the galleries allow the new tenants to use two functionally separate areas of the historic building year-round. Originally used as a transfer point between the railroad siding and the factory floor, the warehouse now shines in new splendor and serves as a multi-functional space for two associations. The exterior of the building has been preserved it with the utmost respect.


This project is just one of many at the Papieri site in Cham, where an entirely new neighborhood is being built with approximately 1,000 homes and workplaces, while preserving the historic character of the factory. In addition to the warehouse, Xella is fitting Multipor to several other factory buildings that are being renovated and converted into residential and commercial premises. 

 

Copyright for all pictures in this post: Regine Giesecke

Share this news

E-mail page Print page

More references

  • How an old bakery building becomes a modern residential project with a historic facade

    The shortage of living space in cities often means that historic buildings have to make way for new construction projects. The Rezidencia Kesselbauer housing project in Slovakia shows that this can be done differently: the facade of a bakery was preserved for the cityscape with Multipor insulation b

    Read more
  • When brick meets Multipor: the restoration of Unesco Malbork Castle in Poland

    When it comes to insulating historic buildings, contractors like to use Xella's Multipor mineral insulation boards. They are currently being used in the restoration of the largest brick castle in the world.

    Read more
  • 66 million years of history, enclosed in Silka Calcium Silicate

    At the former Boesdal limestone quarry at Stevns Klint in Denmark, a new visitor center is being built to show the long history of the site through its fossil record. It is all too fitting that the visitor center is being built of Silka Calcium Silicate.

    Read more

Links

 

Links

  • Company
  • Digitalization
  • Innovation
  • People
  • References
  • Sustainability
  • LinkedIn
  • Youtube

Introduction

2023 Xella International. All rights reserved.

Links

  • General Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Imprint
  • Terms of Use