The striking four-storey building of the Mitte company was built in 1912 by Schweizerische Volksbank as a stately bank branch. The historistic architecture by architect Hermann Neukomm was based on the Baroque style and incorporated decorative Art Nouveau elements. In 1970, the façade and the publicly accessible rooms were stripped of this ornamentation. Since then, the building has had a simpler and more modern appearance.
The last comprehensive renovation was carried out in 1999 by Thomas Tschopp, François Fasnacht Architekten, the two architects Rainer and Liselotte Senn and “in situ” construction company. This alteration, characterized by the dismantling and uncovering of the original structures and layers such as panel and parquet flooring, went hand in hand with the plans of Unternehmen Mitte, which was founded at the same time. The aim was to create an open space for people to meet and social transformation to take place.

The remodelling of Schweizerische Volksbank after Unternehmen Mitte was founded in mid-1999 was carried out by the multi-talented Thomas Tschopp. His remarkable ceiling lamps have remained in the coffee house hall and the Beletage to this day.

Our custom-design chairs were made by Switzerland’s oldest chair manufacturer, Horgenglarus. They were designed by the architectural company Amsler of Winterthur, based on a template found in the former bank building.

In autumn 2020, the architecture company «Stern Zürn» designed a new staircase for the bakery made of pneumatite concrete with a curved handrail made of smoked oak.

The artist Ulrich Muchenberger has been exploring the phenomenon of light and its expansiveness since 1994. For Unternehmen Mitte, he has created several light installations and artworks. The masterpiece “Lichtung” is permanently installed in front of the main hall.

For Switzerland’s 2016 referendum campaign for an Unconditional Basic Income, designer Demian Conrad created an iconic poster consisting of a golden disc and the word “Yes” in three of Switzerland’s national languages. It is available in our online store.

The visual identity of Unternehmen Mitte was developed by Demian Conrad from Automatico Studio. The clear design language, reduced to the essentials, was introduced in 2021. Since then, the acronym “UM” has been used.