Conversion of the Labör cultural center, Zurich Oerlikon

The project
Something big is happening in a small, vacant factory building in Zurich-Oerlikon: from tinkering with renewable building materials and reusing entire components to a Swiss first: the use of sprayed hemp-lime insulation. It's a fantastic project that shows how the circular economy can work in practice.

The construction method
The former factory building was constructed using solid construction methods. For temporary use, it was renovated to improve energy efficiency using various renewable insulation materials, including hemp lime interior insulation and sprayed hemp clay (Isoterra). The original windows were replaced with reused windows, and other reused components were used, such as glass wool insulation, floorboards, and the log stove.

The challenge
The integration of reused windows, which posed a number of regulatory challenges, and the use of hemp-clay insulation were particularly exciting. Both solutions show great potential for circular construction.