Banque Syz

A new milestone has been reached with the relocation of the company’s headquarters to Quai des Bergues, in the heart of Geneva. Two buildings dating from the early 20th century were chosen by the company’s management and have been completely refurbished. The six-storey main building is the work of architects Maurette and Henchoz.

Over the years, a number of interior alterations had damaged the architectural qualities of the building. The central part of the building originally featured an inner courtyard that structured the main building. The challenge of the refurbishment was to restore this historic feature, by creating a large central atrium opening onto the open-plan office space. The load-bearing concrete walls were replaced by a metal framework.

The decision to restore the original stone staircase was an obvious one, erasing all traces of work completed in the 1980s. All traffic flows are now concentrated in this single circulation space. The closed staircase has been preserved in its original state. The facades have also been preserved in their original state, with only the pigeon screens on the roof replaced. This completely preserved envelope is now enhanced by a play of light. Only the entrance has been made consistent and the access level adapted. This is still located on the gable side, at the junction of rue de Coutance and quai des Bergues, but the huge metal awning – which was not period-appropriate – has been removed. The new entrance, with its unfinished metal cladding, has a safe-like appearance.