Anodised façade by Tilla Theus

01.02.2023

Tilla Theus specialises in the planning and construction of new buildings in challenging urban contexts. With her intellect and imagination, she brings buildings steeped in history into the present day. In Unterengstringen, she built a new community centre in place of the existing barn. The long gable and the generous entrance area with canopy are reminiscent of the previous building. The architect designed a new replacement building with a similar volume but a completely new and unusual shell: the anodised aluminium shingles show the emblems of the municipal coat of arms.



Tilla Theus opted for colour-anodised aluminium, a light, durable and maintenance-free material, as punched wooden shuttering as used in the old hay barns is not durable enough.

"Shapes of the ploughshare and vine knife were lasered out of the metal shingles. Then, the punctual and invisible mounting of the metal elements on the underlying façade level was crucial in the process", comments the metal construction company Scherrer Metec AG.

Photos: Luca Zanier

"We follow the traces of history - like detectives," Tilla Theus explains her work. We explore the secrets of the building and reveal what transformations can be implemented, adds the Grisons architect in a recently published interview in the magazine Espazium.

To the reference report on the Unterengstringen community centre

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