August 17, 2026

ReUse instead of demolition

Our CEO is on the road again: For the latest episode of our “CEO Direct” series, Olivier Aebi visits the conversion of the HGC commercial building in Lucerne, which is being transformed into a modern office building. What makes this project special? Existing building components are not demolished but rearranged and reused on site.

The principle sounds simple. From a structural engineering perspective, it is a major challenge. During the refurbishment of the HSG commercial building in Lucerne, six-tonne concrete floor elements are not discarded but reused within the same building. This preserves around 10,000 tonnes of concrete.

What may sound like a game of Tetris is in fact highly complex structural engineering: new room heights, additional floor space, components weighing several tonnes and a load-bearing structure that must remain safe at every stage of construction. Gruner is supporting the project from the feasibility study through to execution. For Olivier Aebi, himself a structural engineer, the project is particularly fascinating. Together with Katrin Frohberg, Head of Structural Design and Building Preservation at Gruner in Lucerne, he takes a look behind the scenes of this extraordinary transformation.

A ReUse solution like this is only possible when everyone involved believes in the idea. Our thanks go to the client HGC, general contractor ANLIKER and architectural firm Rogger Ambauen AG for their trust and strong collaboration.

The new episode of «CEO Direct» shows how a bold idea became a technically and economically viable ReUse solution – and the challenges that had to be overcome along the way. Watch the full video now on YouTube.

Back to overview

You might also be interested in

October 6, 2026

Award for General-Guisan-Strasse: Interdisciplinary collaboration shapes a new urban space in Zug

The redesigned General-Guisan-Strasse in Zug is one of ten projects to receive the Canton of Zug’s prestigious "Auszeichnung guter Bauten" (award for good buildings) in 2026. Gruner supported this demanding infrastructure project through every stage of its development and delivery. A key factor in its successful completion was the close collaboration between Gruner specialists from a wide range of disciplines.

October 5, 2026

New tram tracks above Basel’s underground river

The tram tracks at Basel’s Market Square are being renewed, while the stops are being upgraded to provide barrier-free access on behalf of the Department of Construction and Transport of the Canton of Basel-Stadt. Gruner is responsible for planning the new tram tracks and is supporting the challenging construction work.

September 17, 2026

Fire safety on Mount Titlis: exceptional conditions at 3,020 metres

As part of the renovation and expansion project on Mount Titlis, the Titlis Tower opened in June 2026, with the new Titlis Peak Station to follow in 2029. Gruner is responsible for fire safety for this major project designed by Herzog & de Meuron. The unique conditions at more than 3,000 metres above sea level place particularly high demands on fire safety.