Metalli

Metalli is a shopping, residential and office quarter in the centre of Zug, Switzerland, built on the site of the former Metallwarenfabrik Zug (Metalware Factory Zug). The complex is best known for the Metalli-Passage, a covered shopping alley described on its official website as one of the longest open yet covered shopping passages in Europe. It sits on roughly 25,000 m² between Baarerstrasse, Metallstrasse, Industriestrasse and Gotthardstrasse, close to Zug railway station. The core passage contains around 55 shops with about 17,000 m² of sales area; across the wider complex there are some 20,383 m² of retail space, 19,179 m² of office space, 110 apartments and two hotels, with around 1,000 parking spaces. Anchor tenants in the shopping passage include Migros, H&M, Dosenbach-Ochsner and Lidl Schweiz, while UBS occupies office space in a separately owned section. The site also hosts restaurants, a childcare centre and a children's theatre. Metalli is managed by Zug Estates AG and is majority-owned by Zug Estates Holding AG, which holds 78.75% directly and in Metalli I/II. The name comes from the former Metallwarenfabrik Zug AG, which locals called 'die Metalli'. After the factory merged with Verzinkerei Zug in 1959 to form V-Zug AG, production moved out of central Zug. In 1972 architects Leo Hafner and Alfons Wiederkehr presented the Metalli redevelopment project, and the required Metalli Bergli zoning plan was approved by referendum on 27 February 1983. Demolition of the old factory began in 1983, and construction followed from 1984 in several phases in a postmodern style. Metalli I opened on 24 September 1987, Metalli II on 14 March 1991, and UBS opened its new headquarters in section III on 3 July 1995. Later phases added the City Garden Hotel and serviced apartments by 2009, and an extension of Metalli I/II in 2012 added about 2,000 m² of office and 4,000 m² of retail space. Today Metalli functions as a mixed-use urban quarter and a well-known retail destination in Zug, valued by many residents as a fixture of the city centre, though the decision to demolish the old factory has also drawn criticism from heritage specialists.

The Metalli quarter takes its name from the Metallwarenfabrik Zug AG, a metalware factory founded in 1880 that locals nicknamed 'die Metalli'. In 1959 the factory merged with Verzinkerei Zug to form V-Zug AG, and production in central Zug was gradually moved entirely to the galvanising works. To redevelop the vacated factory site, a project called Metalli was presented in 1972 by the Swiss architects Leo Hafner and Alfons Wiederkehr. The necessary Metalli Bergli zoning plan was approved in a popular referendum on 27 February 1983, after a highly contested debate; one prominent opponent was Daniel Brunner, founder of the documentation centre Doku-Zug. Implementation was carried out by MZ-Immobilien AG, the legal successor of Metallwarenfabrik Zug AG, together with an investor group around UBS. Demolition of the old metalware factory began in 1983, and new construction started in 1984 in several phases designed by Wiederkehr Krummenacher Architekten AG in a postmodern style. The first part, Metalli I, opened on 24 September 1987; the Parkhotel Zug was completed next door the same year. Metalli II followed on 14 March 1991. On 3 July 1995 UBS opened its new headquarters in section III, built to plans by architects Ammann and Baumann. By the end of 1995 section IV, mainly offices and apartments, was also completed. In a further phase, the City Garden Hotel and the Serviced City Apartments were built by 2009, followed in 2012 by an extension of Metalli I/II adding about 2,000 m² of office and 4,000 m² of retail space. On 1 July 2012 MZ-Immobilien AG was spun off from Metall Zug and has since operated independently as Zug Estates Holding AG, with the spin-off effected by distributing shares of Zug Estates Holding AG. Today the complex is managed by Zug Estates AG and majority-owned by Zug Estates Holding AG, which holds 78.75% directly and in Metalli I/II. The site covers about 25,000 m² between Baarerstrasse, Metallstrasse, Industriestrasse and Gotthardstrasse, with the wider complex extending over 58,737 m². It includes around 55 shops with 17,000 m² of sales area in the core passage, and across the whole complex 20,383 m² of retail space, 19,179 m² of office space, 110 apartments and two hotels, plus about 1,000 parking spaces. Main tenants include Migros, H&M, Dosenbach-Ochsner and Lidl Schweiz, with UBS using office space in a separately owned section. Public art includes Matt Mullican's 'Signpost for Ideas' sculptures on Metalli-Platz and a 1987 wooden sculpture by Raffael Benazzi in the passage. While some heritage specialists such as Reto Nussbaumer criticised the demolition of the old factory, others regard Metalli as popular with residents and a fixture of central Zug.

• 2012

  Extension of Metalli I/II adds about 2,000 m² office and 4,000 m² retail space; MZ-Immobilien AG spun off as Zug Estates Holding AG on 1 July.

• 2009

  City Garden Hotel and Serviced City Apartments completed.

• 1995

  UBS opens its new headquarters in section III on 3 July; section IV completed by year-end.

• 1991

  Metalli II opens on 14 March.

• 1987

  Metalli I opens on 24 September; Parkhotel Zug completed next door.

• 1984

  New construction begins in several phases in postmodern style.

• 1983

  Metalli Bergli zoning plan approved by referendum on 27 February; demolition of the old factory begins.

• 1972

  Architects Leo Hafner and Alfons Wiederkehr present the Metalli redevelopment project.

• 1959

  Metallwarenfabrik Zug AG merges with Verzinkerei Zug to form V-Zug AG; production moves out of central Zug.

• 1880

  Metallwarenfabrik Zug AG founded; locals call it 'die Metalli'.

A mixed-use urban quarter and covered shopping destination in central Zug, combining retail, offices, housing and hospitality.

• Metalli-Passage shopping alley

  Covered shopping passage with around 55 shops and 17,000 m² of sales area.

• Office space

  19,179 m² of office space across the complex, including UBS headquarters in section III.

• Residential apartments

  110 apartments within the quarter.

• Hotels

  Two hotels, including Parkhotel Zug and City Garden Hotel.

1. 1Home - Metalli.chmetalli.ch
2. 2Metalli (Zug) - Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
3. 3Metalli - Wikidatawikidata.org