Old Tobelhof, Zürich

The project
In the more than 500 years of its existence, the Alte Tobelhof has grown into a real hamlet. The location not far from the Zurich Zoo, the magnificent view over the Glatt Valley and the culinary quality of the cuisine make the country inn a popular destination. It is thus one of the most successful establishments in the restaurant portfolio of the city of Zurich. However, the years have not passed without leaving their mark on the buildings. The infrastructure no longer met the requirements of a modern restaurant. The kitchen was cramped and winding. In order to serve the guests, the service staff sometimes had to walk long distances with the food. In addition, the building services were in need of renovation and the fire protection measures no longer complied with current regulations. In 2014, the city therefore approved 13.5 million Swiss francs for renovation and a new building for staff rooms. Timbatec accompanied the work from the beginning as civil and timber engineer as well as fire protection planner.

The construction method
In place of the old supporting structure, a new wooden element building was erected that meets today's requirements in terms of statics and building physics. The requirements for fire protection, for which Timbatec was responsible for the planning, were particularly high: Since the main building is just over 11 meters high, a fire resistance of 60 instead of only 30 minutes must be guaranteed.

The challenge
There was a great need for action, especially in the construction in the area of the kitchen and storage rooms. The entire interior supporting structure had to be replaced and was therefore demolished; the exterior walls and roof could remain in place. To secure the listed Tobelhof roof during the work, tree trunks were used as temporary supports.