100 years of Blasercafé / Architecture

IS THE BLASERCAFÉ BUILDING AN ARCHITECTURAL SIN?

Towards the end of the seventies, the original headquarters on Effingerstrasse became increasingly too small. Walter Blaser therefore began to look for a location that would support the company in its plans for the future. He found this in the then idyllic and charm-filled freight station district of Holligen, in Bern's west. In particular, the direct connection to the railroad was of great value for the growing raw materials trade.

 

At first glance, the clunky, concrete building contradicts the notion of neighborhood charm. But appearances are deceptive. The construction method using exposed aggregate concrete slabs was highly modern at the time. The responsible Helfer architects were responsible for many of the similar buildings in Bern-Bümpliz, which are now listed monuments. In the case of the style of the Blasercafé headquarters, one can therefore speak of original "West-Berne characteristics".

 

 

Thanks to the new headquarters and the surrounding infrastructure, Blasercafé was able to develop continuously. Delivery, processing and distribution of coffee could now be handled at the same location. Investments were also made in the building on an ongoing basis. In particular, the interior was constantly expanded and adapted to changing needs. The staircase and the second floor are currently being redesigned in collaboration with Kast und Käppeli Architekten.

To this day, the Blaser family is closely connected with Holligen's neighborhood history. This sense of home has been reinforced anew since 2014 by the first branch of the "Rösterei Kaffee und Bar". The gastronomy concept was the starting signal for relaxed neighborhood life to return to the perimeter of the freight station. The spirit of optimism is constantly attracting new creative minds, who are breathing new life into the quarter with urban concepts. Just recently, a former brewer from the Tramdepot joined the group.

Image: Rösterei neighborhood Festival 2018

 

 

 

 

 

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