Table of Contents
What type of architecture is in Switzerland?
Nowadays in Switzerland, you can see the buildings of all major styles like Roman, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Modern and Postmodern architecture and others. One can find the Romanesque style of the twelfth century in the cathedrals of Basel, Geneva, Chur, Sion and Lausanne.
What materials is the Gherkin made from?
The Gherkin facts 30 St Mary Axe is covered in 24,000 sq m (2,200 sq ft) of glass, which equates to five football pitches. The Gherkin building is constructed from more than 35km (21 miles) of steel, weighing a total of 10,000 tonnes.
Does Switzerland have modern buildings?
Art Basel, the Alps, CERN, the Red Cross Museum, the trains, the lakes, Reichenbach Falls, chocolate, cheese, wine—all of these are excellent reasons to visit Switzerland. But a criminally overlooked one is the country’s wealth of modern architecture.
How is the Gherkin sustainable?
Case Study One: ‘The Gherkin’ Building, London It is built of a diagrid steel network, which enables it to be free of columns. Sustainable innovations in the building include a reduced wind load, and a cooling system within that draws air through panels in the façade.
What type of houses are in Switzerland?
An overview of housing in Switzerland You can find a variety of property types in Switzerland to buy or rent. These include apartments in tenement blocks, detached houses, farmhouses, and even a few chateaus. Prices tend to be more expensive in the more populous cities such as Geneva and Zurich.
What shape is the Gherkin?
The Gherkin is essentially an elongated, curved, shaft with a rounded end that is reminiscent of a stretched egg. It is covered uniformly around the outside with glass panels and is rounded off at the corners. It has a lens-like dome at the top that serves as a type of observation deck.
Is the Swiss Re building in London the Gherkin a sustainable building?
As Figure 1,we can find that lighting, cooling, and ventilation are responsible for more than 60 percent of electricity use by office buildings, and heating dominates natural gas consumption. In addition, the Gherkin has six spiralling light wells. They allow nature light to flood down onto the floors.
What makes the Gherkin energy efficient?
The Gherkin uses ingenious energy-saving methods, such as natural ventilation, to cut down on the amount of air-conditioning, and a huge double-glazing effect that sandwiches air between two layers of glass, meaning the office space inside is naturally insulated.
What is Swiss chalet architecture?
Swiss Chalet dwellings are typically two-and-a-half stories high and have a square or rectangular plan. Low pitched front-facing gable roofs are common and have extra deep eaves supported by large decorative brackets or knee braces. The ends of rafters and/or purlins are generally exposed and are sometimes carved.
Why are Swiss houses made of wood?
Wooden houses were more comfortable than stone in this temperate climate and in the Middle Ages, these are the kinds of dwellings most people lived in. The build required the skills and labour of many. The wood was cut from nearby at the end of the winter and worked on while it was still fresh and supple.
What are the major architectural styles in Switzerland?
Additionally, Swiss mercenary service brought architectural elements from other lands back to Switzerland. All the major styles including ancient Roman, Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, Neoclassical, Art Nouveau, Modern architecture and Post Modern are well represented throughout the country.
Who is the architect of the Swiss Re building?
Design and construction. The building was constructed by Skanska, completed in December 2003 and opened on 28 April 2004. The primary occupant of the building is Swiss Re, a global reinsurance company, which had the building commissioned as the head office for its UK operation.
What is Swiss chalet style architecture?
From a different point of view was William Dana who, in The Swiss Chalet Book (1913), described the peculiarities of Swiss chalet-style architecture, commending its charm and universal application, as well as the suitability of the architectural style applicable and adaptable to every site and environment.
What was the first school of Architecture in Switzerland?
The first school of architecture in Switzerland was the ETH Zurich Faculty of Architecture (ETHZ), which opened in 1855. The Zurich school trained architects quickly found work across the country and the world, designing private and public buildings.