After the major fire, which left the building in danger of collapsing and caused damage totalling 25 million Swiss francs, it was a long road to reopening. The building insurance company of the Canton of Zurich described the incident as the “most expensive fire damage in the 200-year history of the GVZ”.
The now revitalised building offers 5,000 square metres of space on the top six floors for 76 private offices and 600 state-of-the-art workstations. IWG has thus secured its largest location in Switzerland and offers a range of extras in addition to workspaces: a rooftop terrace with panoramic views of Zurich, a fitness centre with personal trainer, a private members’ club with Italian restaurant and bar, a gaming centre and even a meditation and breastfeeding room.
Patrizia Statelli, Managing Director of IWG Switzerland, Monaco and Gibraltar, emphasises the importance of hybrid working models in the post-pandemic era and the changing demands on workplaces. The flexible offices, meeting rooms and networking zones can be booked on an hourly or long-term basis, with the cost of around CHF 1,500 per person per month including all ancillary costs as well as use of the fitness centre and entertainment facilities.
The fire delayed IWG’s move in by two years, but the company already had plans for this building before the accident. The ground floor is now home to a DQ Solutions shop, Yumi Hana with Korean and Japanese products and the new Club Mini Market.
With the ambitious goal of growing from 53 to 70 locations in Switzerland over the next two years, IWG is also planning to cover the suburbs of major cities. Statelli is convinced that new, more flexible working models will characterise the future and reduce commuting, a concept that Europe’s most luxurious coworking space in Zurich now embodies.
