Frau Gerolds Garten 集装箱购物中心

Firm： Arhitektura Jure Kotnik

Type： Commercial › Retail Shopping Mall Government + Health › Community Center

STATUS： Built

YEAR： 2012

SIZE： 3000 sqft - 5000 sqft

Frau Gerolds Garten is a cool hangout and shopping place located in Swiss capital Zurich. Its microlaction is on a plot close to important railroad crossing close to former industrial area that in began its revitalisation approximately ten year ago and witnessed a global media coverage with Freitag tower. A nine stories high observation tower made from recycling containers with a shop on the ground for recycled merchandise. On a plot, just behind the tower a urban garden with several hip places located in shipping containers appeared creating Zurich new vibrant “point of interest” called Frau Gerold’s Garten. Due to the temporal nature of the settlement that was least from the city for the period of five years, containers are perfect to build with. Later, if needed, these metal bricks can easily be relocated to another location. Frau Gerold Garten community offers a space for wide spam of activities from creativity, shopping, culture, dining or just enjoying the drinks with friends in the garden. ConHouse contribution to it was to set a new part of the area with anthracite building containers as a contrast to the very colourful environment. Eighteen containers were stacked on two levels in a way that they form overhangs and terraces in front of ateliers or shops. Walls facing the courtyard are fully glassed creating great natural light conditions in the interior. The interiors, made by local designers are mostly white and minimalistic to leave focus on the products rather on the building itself. Frau Gerolds garten cooperation with ConHouse shows how container structures can contribute to the development of vacant city areas making them the dynamic point of interest for residents and visitors from all around the globe.