Lighthouse Papieri Cham

January 2025

Papieri in Cham is a beacon for a modern commercial and residential neighbourhood. A successful mix of historical substance and industrial heritage, architecturally high-quality new buildings and carefully designed, green outdoor spaces creates a unique neighbourhood atmosphere. The Papieri site, which has won a federal award, sets new standards in terms of sustainability with technological innovations. Around 40,000m2 of commercial space offers room for every business model - not interchangeable and arbitrary, but sustainable, well thought-out, in contemporary new buildings or listed buildings with industrial charm. By the time it is completed, people of all ages will be living in around 1,000 flats - from trendy lofts to affordable flats.

People today are looking for the “as well as” – in the case of Papieri, it is the interplay of an urban lifestyle in close proximity to nature. On the one hand, the new district offers all the extras of a lively neighbourhood with practical services for everyday life, such as a wide range of shopping and dining options, childcare and cultural and sporting activities
And catering facilities, childcare and cultural and sporting activities. On the other hand, you can find peace and quiet by the River Lorze or in one of the neighbouring recreational areas.

Next Level Spaces
In the third construction phase, a total of 10,000 m² of office, commercial and retail space will be created with the “Next Level Spaces”. Where and how people work has changed dramatically in recent years. Attractive and adaptable work concepts are needed to inspire employees. This leads to new requirements for buildings, such as a high degree of flexibility in order to fulfil a wide range of needs, from office layout to building services.

The spaces in the “Next Level Spaces” can be flexibly designed and are over 6 metres high with a payload of up to one tonne per m², and intermediate floors can be installed as required. The user decides where intermediate floors are needed and can also create additional space at a later date. The “Next Level Spaces” offer future-orientated companies a wow location for offices, trade and Industry 4.0.

Landmark boiler house
The landmark at the heart of the site – the listed boiler house – will also be converted in the third construction phase. Where steam boilers used to be fired up, guests can expect a culinary treat in future. In spring 2026, the Segmüller Collection will expand its portfolio of unique gastronomy concepts such as Carlton, Loft Five, Roof Garden and Sablier in Zurich to Papieri-Platz in Cham and open a new grill restaurant with bar and lounge on the ground floor of the Kesselhaus. Industrial charm meets modern lifestyle, archaic fire cuisine meets refined elegance – a place that promises enjoyment for every taste. In the western section above, unique office space awaits new users in the former monument, while a fitness centre in the eastern section offers space for physical exercise.

Sustainability
Awarded the “Watt d’Or” by the Swiss Federal Office of Energy, the energy system of the Papieri site enables completely CO2-free operation and ultimately generates around 75% of the energy on site. In addition, the “Next Level Spaces” commercial building is certified with the internationally renowned “Leed Platinum” sustainability label. Resource-conserving construction is also already common practice at Papieri. For example, with the conversion of listed buildings such as the boiler house or an innovative timber-hybrid residential tower block. However, the most important contribution to sustainability is a long service life. Great attention is paid to this factor during development. Buildings must be flexible in order to meet the as yet unknown needs of a changing society in the future. An office building that can be converted into flats, for example, prevents premature demolition and thus contributes to sustainability. This is why Papieri constructs high-quality, adaptable buildings that will still be in favour for various uses decades from now.

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