With the redesign of the district surrounding the Raiffeisenbank headquarters, the objective of creating a high-quality meeting zone has been realized—one that has a lasting, identity-forming impact on the public urban space of St. Gallen.

The negative perception of the Bleicheli quarter as a fragmented conglomeration of residual spaces and traffic infrastructure now belongs to the past. Today, the urban living room invites people from across neighborhoods to linger. A significant district reopens itself outward by drawing people inward.

The amorphous design of the furnishings, with their pleasantly soft tactile quality, softens the sharp precision of the surrounding buildings. In a playful manner, the relationship between interior and exterior space is reversed: the outer façades of the buildings can be perceived as wallpapered interior walls of the urban lounge.

Inspired by the diverse uses of a living space, the district is structured into different functional zones such as reception, cloakroom, foyer, and café. These areas flow seamlessly into one another, creating an elegant spatial continuum. In the evening, organically shaped, seemingly floating light fixtures gently stage the urban lounge.

The uniform red surface made of synthetic granulate unifies all plazas and residual spaces like a carpet into a cohesive whole. With its pleasant tactile quality, this surface forms one of the key elements behind the lounge’s almost magnetic appeal.

Through targeted scenographic interventions, traffic participants move more attentively, contributing to the calming of through traffic and thereby significantly enhancing the quality of stay.