Hello Wood transforms abandoned railway site in Zurich with "indoor-outdoor cultural hub"
Architecture studio Hello Wood has completed Remise Rosa, a colourful dining and events complex built from cross-laminated timber on a former railway freight yard in Switzerland.
Located in Zurich West, the 2,500-square-metre development was designed and built by Hello Wood to house food stalls, bars, and event spaces, connected by brightly coloured staircases, walkways and bridges.
"Remise Rosa is conceived as a three-level indoor-outdoor cultural hub in the middle of Zurich, hosting community gatherings, flexible dining, diverse public events and a year-round lunch service for a nearby school," Hello Wood lead architect Balázs Szelecsényi told Dezeen.
"Together with the client, we wanted to create a building that would pop out from its industrial and colourless surroundings with elegant confidence," Szelecsényi said.
Visitors enter the site through a vortex-like frame made from repeated timber beams, leading into the main area that contains a combination of open-air terraces, covered and indoor spaces.
At the heart of the project is a prefabricated structure made from cross-laminated timber (CLT).
Hello Wood managed the project from initial design through to construction, with most of building's parts manufactured off-site and assembled on location.
"The CLT structure was assembled using CNC-based prefabrication for precision, minimal waste and fast, clean on-site construction, meaning the entire project was completed in just five months," Szelecsényi said.
The structure is set across layered terraces alongside a series of treehouse-like cabins that rise above the space at different heights, while a cable bridge is suspended across part of the site.
Splashes of cobalt blue and pastel pink characterise the design, paired with the natural tones of the timber frame and extensive greenery and planting.
A wide, undulating timber bench is tucked underneath one of the staircases, creating a space for people to sit and relax.
Moving water wheels were incorporated alongside spiral-like timber frames, appearing at different focal points throughout the project.
"The rose, pink, blue and natural wood tones become part of the project's identity and fit with the joyful public function of the restaurants and cultural hub," said Szelecsényi.
"Remise Rosa is a dense and playful landscape: walkable rooftops, treehouse-like cabins, cable bridges, sculptural benches, giant planter boxes and lush green zones create a vertically layered, dynamic environment," he said.
Inside, a double-height restaurant combines exposed CLT beams with an industrial palette of galvanised steel and exposed pipes.
A steel spiral staircase leads up to a mezzanine level, while large sculptural lighting fixtures hang from above. Floor-to-ceiling glass doors and large windows strengthen the connection to the outdoor space.
Founded in 2010, Hello Wood is a design-and-build studio and educational platform based in Budapest, Hungary. According to the studio, the project translates its experience of creating experimental, pop-up architecture and temporary festival structures into a permanent urban development.
Other cross-laminated timber buildings recently featured on Dezeen include a "flatpack" courtyard home in Newcastle by Musson Brown Architects and Miltiadou Cook Mitzman and a farm stand in Massachusetts by Payette.
The photography is by György Palkó.
Project credits:
Architect: Hello Wood
Lead architect: Balázs Szelecsényi
Client: Güterhof AG, Remise Rosa
Interior designer: Felix Kistler
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