“ALTE PARKETTFABRIK” – THE FORMER PARQUETTE FACTORY IS CONVERTED INTO A VOCATIONAL SCHOOL FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION

This building is erected in the early industrial era, which makes it valuable for the memory of the city. The city authorities decided to keep and reconstruct it. In the late 19th century, a small river passed through the place and put into motion a water wheel. The water wheel was used as an engine power for various manufacturing activities. The first water wheel was built in 1880. Later, as the water was not effective enough, people installed a steam engine and built an assembly line. There was only the central building at first, which was gradually extended into one floor in the beginning and, consequently, the other floors were built up. The place was a parquet factory for about 50 years - from 1894, with a steam engine and a big chimney. The building was destroyed by fire in 1895. A year later it was restored and extended and an assembly line was installed. In 1905 the building became a two-storey structure; the entrance and the loading platform were changed. The building acquired its current appearance. In 1955 the operation of the factory was moved to another place. The building lost its function. Having plans for some urban development changes, the municipality bought the building – it environed building a transport hub, a circular traffic, in the place of the building. The intentions were to destroy the building.  Some of the premises and part of the area were temporarily provided to small businesses, to artisans, and some of the rooms – for school needs. More than 20 years passed without any change. In this period, the attitude of the local authorities to the preservation of the cultural and historical heritage changed. In 1979 the building was declared a monument of culture. The new urban planning of the district safeguarded it against destroying in 1980. In 1988 the city authorities decided to convert the building into a school. A competition was organized in 1990 and the designing of the building’s reconstruction started. It continued until 1992. Over the next two years the construction works were carried out. When the project was completed in 1994, it won the ATU Award (for architecture, technology and environment) of the Canton of Bern.

The building was seriously damaged before the reconstruction. It underwent many changes. Its built-up area is 600 sqm, and its gross built-up area is 1774 sqm. The cost of the reconstruction project is about 5 million Swiss francs.