01.06.2023 Jakob Schoof

Primeo Energy Kosmos in Basel by Rapp

Primeo Energy Kosmos, © Beat Ernst

Approx. two-thirds of the building materials stemmed from renewable resources and the circular economy – such is the eco-balance of an exhibition building designed by Rapp for the energy supplier Primeo in Münchenstein, near Basel. Together with the adjacent building – a 1932 meter workshop also refurbished by the architectural and general planning office Rapp – the new-build operates under the name of Primeo Energie Kosmos.

Entrance, © Beat Ernst

The three-storey main volume is a pure timber frame structure incorporating spans about 7,50 m in length. The roof terrace bearing a large steel pergola covered in solar panels serves as an open-air event location, whereby the pergola does double duty as the frame for trellises made up of parts taken from 60-year-old electricity pylons bought by the client from the Swiss transmission grid operator Swissgrid. The old steel brackets were prefabricated into three or four tree-like modules per facade or mounting to the supporting structure, and were also given a new acrylic-base coating, having been previously covered in toxic lead-based paint.  

Digital planning aid

Parametric software from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne provided the architects with digital support in planning the trellis structure. However, a lot of "manual work" was also required in the planning as Jacek Wieckowicz, project manager at Rapp reports; although the number and length of the steel elements were stated in parts lists, the elements had dimensional tolerances of up to 10 cm, and these had to be accommodated with the help of respective screw fastenings. 

The three-storey main volume is a pure timber frame structure. © Beat Ernst

Originally the architects had planned to use the steel brackets in a supporting structure for the circumferential balconies. Since, however, it was no longer possible to retroactively determine the steel grade of the brackets and the balconies themselves were to act as escape routes, this kind of reuse proved incompatible with Swiss building regulations. 

© Beat Ernst
© Beat Ernst

Reclaimed materials even in the interior finishing

In view of the building's long spans, wood rib panels proved to be an economic option and half of the oak floorboards on the upper storeys came from a demolished boathouse built in 1911 near Basel. Various other reclaimed materials and elements found use in the interior finishing, including a complete fitted kitchen as well as almost all wash basins, partition walls and fittings in the sanitary rooms. Wall and floor tiles consisted of either leftover stock or factory rejects, and the lights were dismantled from buildings slated for demolition, partially repaired and fitted with new LED bulbs.

Read more in Detail 6.2023 and in our databank Detail Inspiration.


Architecture, Structural engineering, Fire prevention, Acoustics, Site management: Rapp AG
Client: EBM (Genossenschaft Elektra Birseck Münchenstein)
Location: Weidenstrasse 6, 4142 Münchenstein (CH)


Landscape architecture: Bryum
Building services engineering: Anima Engineering
Building physics: Waldhauser + Herrmann

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