Raiffeisenbank Seeland, CH-Lyss
The Raiffeisenbank Seeland building in Lyss is to be renovated and expanded, with the annex from the 1970s — which is now inadequate — set to be demolished. The Raiffeisenbank lot is situated between two streets with different characteristics: Bahnhofstrasse, a traffic-calmed boulevard, on one side, and the heavily trafficked Bielstrasse on the other.
To reinforce the old building’s status as a standalone structure within the urban landscape, the connecting element remains two stories tall and, by maintaining a deliberate distance, defines the additional stories. Customers enter through the tree-lined forecourt via the covered entrance in the new building.
The layout of the customer lobby ensures optimal visibility from the outside and provides a discreet, set-back area for consultations. The customer area is located on the ground floor, while the upper floors are reserved for staff. This vertical separation further simplifies the security plan.
Interventions in the existing building are kept to a minimum. The building’s current uses will be retained and supplemented by infrastructure areas. The structural framework of the new building is designed as a solid-core structure. The load-bearing elements are the exterior walls and the service core.
The wide-open, column-free entrance area is spanned by a facade designed as a Vierendeel truss. The building is designed to meet the MINERGIE standard.
