Project Titanic

PROJECT TITANIC

Renovation of the Zurich Yacht Club

Client: Zurich Yacht Club
Location: General-Guisan-Quai, Lake Zurich, Zurich
Date: 2015-2016

The difficult task that Nau2 was given involved replacing the old caissons – the thin-walled concrete floats – as well as the existing structure of the over 100-year-old Zurich Yacht Club for the next century, without interfering with the historical quality of this landmark building. Careful planning and detailed project logistics were at the forefront of this almost surgical intervention. The Clubhouse was shipped down Lake Zurich to Nuolen, where the new concrete floats were prefabricated on land. After the floats were launched into the harbor, the supporting structure of the ground floor was built upon them. Then, the entire upper floor was gently set atop its renovated base with two mobile cranes.

The precise reconstruction of the interior and facade followed. Valuable components such as the interior finishes and the façade were dismantled from the old building and rebuilt on the new structure. With the help of a meticulous survey taken from the old building, historical details were faithfully reproduced. The reconstruction also encompassed a complete refurbishment of the building services and minor architectural adjustments to rationalize the spaces. Right on schedule, the renovated clubhouse was returned to its long-established location on Zurich’s General Guisan-Quai and celebrated with a grand opening. With a renewed structure and modernized operations, the Zurich Yacht Club can now continue to promote the sport of sailing on Lake Zurich for the next generation.

Project Partners:
– Emch+Berger, Zurich
– Hillner Partner, Zurich
– HHM, Hefti Hess Martignoni, Zurich
– Braune Roth, Rorschacherberg

Overall Project Management: Oliver Winkler, ZYC Building Commission