Multi-functional roof with VELUX Northlights
Weber Hofer Partner Architects in Zurich refurbished the top floor of a former industrial building from the 1920s, which serves as an open-plan office, and extended it to meet future requirements. During an eight-month construction phase, the existing roof from the 1960s was dismantled down to the steel structure and replaced by a modern, efficient structure in which five Northlights from the VELUX Modular Skylight system were installed. The north-facing skylights include high-performance triple glazing, which now evenly supply the open-plan office underneath with diffused daylight. The south-facing areas of the shed roof construction are almost completely covered with photovoltaic panels.
Large-area acoustic cladding in the interior and indirect lighting which is hidden in the roof highlight the striking roof design in the evening, when the blinds reflect the artificial light. Finely graded white, light grey and beige tones dominate the room and appear differently depending on the incidence of light. The result is a balanced and stimulating working atmosphere – an open-plan office in an old industrial building that meets all contemporary standards.