Hotel Metropole, Bern
Burckhardt carefully redeveloped the historic corner building in cooperation with the heritage conservation authorities. The property on Waisenhausplatz in Bern’s historic center was constructed in 1878 and is adjoined to a neighboring building from the 1970s. Bern’s listed old town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. Bern’s listed old town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983.
PSP Swiss Property
2019–2022
Architecture, general planning
Damian Poffet, Susanne Goldschmid
Burgerbibliothek Bern, Hans-Ulrich Suter Collection 712
Tourism & Hospitality, Transformation & Renovation
Bern, Switzerland
Project specifics
History in 3D
The historic building was meticulously measured and recreated as a digital 3D model to provide a basis for project planning. This enabled the work on the sensitive building structure to be carried out with great precision.
Significant restoration work
The entire interior fit-out of the 19th century building was carried out in close cooperation with the heritage conservation authorities. This ensured that features such as the wall paneling and old door frames in the rooms were preserved. The historic staircase was significantly enhanced through careful restoration work and extended to the exclusive roof terrace for hotel guests.
The conversion in Bern’s Old Town makes an important contribution to the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Markus Mathys, Project Manager and Member of the Bern Site Management
Prior to the redevelopment, the property had housed a hotel, a restaurant and sales and office spaces. The project paved the way for the launch of a hotel concept new to the city of Bern, as well as for an expanded restaurant usage, and today makes a valuable contribution to preserving the city’s historic architectural landscape. The building’s exterior appearance was also treated with great care and its once distinctive design features, such as the oculi lucarnes, were restored.