Vertically built craft center in Erstfeld
The Erstfeld Ha2 craftsmen's center is being built in the commercial zone of the municipality of Erstfeld. Unusual for an industrial building: Its area is to be stacked vertically on different floors. This saves building space and makes the building more sustainable.
In industry and in the commercial sector, company buildings are traditionally single-storey in order to enable optimal logistics and to shorten distances. This idea has its origins in a time when land was considered an infinite resource and the car was the focus of planning.
But land is a finite resource. For reasons of sustainability, as little soil as possible should be installed and sealed. The industry must therefore find new ways to minimize sealed ground floor areas without losing flexibility.
The craft center Ha2 in Erstfeld is taking such a path. His concept: It stacks up the space that would otherwise be spread over a single floor. The building consists of a ground floor and two upper floors. The latter are accessed via a ramp that can be driven on by delivery vans. It connects to each floor via an arcade. A goods lift is also available.
The Ha2 Crafts Center not only attaches importance to sustainability when it comes to the construction area. The construction was designed for durability, for example by high interior spaces and the separation of the primary, secondary and tertiary structures. The latter should also put the poor CO2 balance of concrete into perspective. The building shell of the crafts center is made of wood, the sun protection was created constructively. Depending on the user, waste wood chips or groundwater are used for heating. With a joiner’s workshop as a co-user, the building could also be heated exclusively by burning wood chip waste.
The rainwater is collected in a cistern and reused – this saves 40 percent of the fresh water.
The Ha2 Crafts Center aims to be planned and implemented as simply and efficiently as possible. The ground floor is built over height and can be divided into two levels. This ensures more flexibility in use.
The craft center is being built in the commercial zone of the municipality of Erstfeld, north of the town centre, with the NEAT and A2 connections in the immediate vicinity. In the neighborhood there are, among other things, a fish farm and a system technology company.
Small, local craftsmen’s companies should be able to develop in the craftsmen’s center. An important point is therefore the affordability of the areas.
A company uses part of the space for a sanitary exhibition. A takeaway stand is also planned on the ground floor. Also among those interested are a local carpenter’s shop, hemp plant startups, and plumbing and electrical companies.
The craft center Ha2 is currently in the status of the preliminary project. The building permit process is scheduled to begin in June 2022. The move into the building is planned for autumn 2023.
