The Depot Deutweg project by Conen Sigl Architekten in Winterthur is an outstanding example of sustainable architecture, with its emphasis on reuse, i.e. the reutilization of existing built substance. Instead of demolishing the old halls of the former bus depot, the architects opted for a sensitive and respectful development of the existing building. Three parts of the listed building - the original hall, the administration building and the forecourt - have been preserved, forming the backbone of a new, multi-purpose district.
The existing structures of the halls have been largely reworked, their function preserved and occasionally extended. New volumes are created by heightening the building, without destroying the character of the original industrial architecture. The project is conceived as a "built palimpsest" - a stratification of different eras, materials and uses. Load-bearing structures, roofs and main building elements are retained and reinterpreted, for example for housing, commercial premises or communal use.
Particularly noteworthy is the urban planning idea of an open spatial structure comprising a square, a hall and a garden. The result is a multi-purpose public and semi-public space that encourages social interaction and livens up the neighborhood. Local players - from the bicycle repair workshop to the Repair-Café - will occupy the site and thus also contribute to sustainable development.
The Depot Deutweg project is an impressive example of how reuse can be put to good use not only ecologically, but also architecturally and socially. Reusing existing structures not only reduces resource consumption and construction costs, but also preserves history and the atmosphere. Combined with new architectural elements, the result is a living place with an identity that links past and future.
