The Freiburg Cantonal Bank (FKB) is giving its headquarters a facelift and has enlisted Mario Botta, the architect who designed the iconic building over 40 years ago, for the project.

The renovation will focus on the main entrance and the cashier hall of the bank, which was inaugurated in 1982. The FKB's announcement on Wednesday also highlights the history of its premises in the capital of the canton.

Since 1982 at its Current Location

Founded in 1892, the FKB initially operated from Grand-Rue 26, in the building of the former «Caisse d'amortissement de la dette publique», from which it emerged. Due to space constraints, the bank relocated in 1907 to Place de Notre-Dame. In 1975, the bank acquired the Gambrinus and GFM Railway buildings at the start of Boulevard de Pérolles.

In 1976, an architectural competition was held for the new headquarters at the current location, and the then-young Ticino architect Mario Botta won first prize.

Self-service Area and Customer Lounges

Already in 2019, plans for renovation were considered, and Botta was commissioned with the redesign of the main hall. «The new design will open directly onto Boulevard de Pérolles and will feature a self-service area with ATMs, deposit machines, and a coin rolling machine. There will also be four deposit and withdrawal counters, with an additional two counters dedicated to advisory services» Additionally, customer lounges will be set up on the first floor, and the staff offices will also be updated.

The FKB expects the project to be completed by the end of 2025, with the cashier hall renovation starting in April 2025 and lasting approximately nine months. Throughout the construction, the counters will remain open to the public and customers.