• A house that tells stories

    The tall residential and commercial building occupies a prominent address in the heart of Zurich’s Old Town. In 1905, the Honold family acquired not only the confectionery business housed in the building, but the entire property. The history of the building itself reaches back even further than that of the long-established confectionery, with its origins dating to the 14th century. Its present form is based on extensive structural interventions carried out in 1876, although individual building elements date back to the preceding structure. As part of the current comprehensive renovation, these layers of history were exposed, examined and carefully restored.

    The construction work to renew the basement floor slab revealed four historic millstones. They were presumably installed in 1616/18 by the building’s owner, Christoffel Werdmüller, when he enlarged the original building. Three of the four millstones continue to serve as part of the building’s foundation to this day. One had to make way for the newly installed lift and is now preserved in the collection of the Cantonal Archaeology Service. The concrete lift shaft plays an important role in strengthening the building against earthquakes and provides step-free access.

    Another surprise was discovered on the first floor, where a stucco ceiling more than 150 years old was uncovered. A handwritten note by a craftsman on the back of the subsequently installed plasterboard ceiling documents when and by whom it was created: “Coperto il 31 Maggio 1876 Motori Giovanni”. The covering has since been removed, revealing the ornate stucco ceiling hidden beneath it. Specialists are currently restoring it in close consultation with the municipal heritage conservation authorities.

    The building was also extended upwards in 1876. This can be identified by the altered beam structure of the floor ceilings above the fourth floor, as well as by the different shapes of the bricks in the lateral fire walls.

    Among the oldest building elements discovered are the timber beam ceilings in the lower half of the building. Dendrochronological investigations date the falling of the timber to the year 1616. At that time, wooden boards were inserted between the hand-hewn beams. Following the renovation, a compact new floor build-up was installed above these traditional timber board floors, contributing to the building’s earthquake resistance and acoustic insulation.

    Type of Commission: Direct Commission
    Client: Private Ownership, Confiserie Honold
    Location: Rennweg 53, 8001 Zurich
    Floor Area: 1,315 m²
    Space Programme: 7 rental apartments, retail space and café
    Planning: Spring 2017 – Autumn 2026
    Construction: Summer 2025 – Summer 2027
    Heritage Protection: Cultural heritage property of municipal significance

    Architecture: Stücheli Architekten, Zurich
    Construction Management: Duboc + Friedrich, Zurich
    Structural Engineers: Basler & Hofmann, Zurich
    HVAC Engineers: Klimawandler, Zurich
    Electrical Engineers: pbp engineering, Zurich
    Sanitary Engineers: IFG Ingenieure für Gebäudetechnik, Volketswil
    Building Physics: BAKUS Bauphysik & Akustik AG, Zurich
    Fire Safety Planning: Brandschutzwerkstatt, Rorschach

    Editorial: Stücheli Architekten, July 2026
    Concept and Photography: Studio Willen
    Text: Daniela Meyer
    Design: Vieceli & Cremers

    Stücheli Architekten
    Binzstrasse 18, 8045 Zurich
    www.stuecheli.ch