The Deisswil cardboard factory used to be used for punching, but today ideas, concepts and projects are created here. The Bern/Biel School of Design (SFGB:B) has been located in Bernapark since 2024 and uses the former Deisswil cardboard factory as its training location.
The redesign of the industrial building was carried out with great care. Visible supporting structures, raw concrete surfaces and high ceilings - all of this was preserved. Instead of smoothing everything out, the building was continued with respect. The industrial character was not removed, but harmoniously integrated into the new use.
A keen instinct was required when selecting the materials. Some of the original floor areas were retained. These areas were given a technical update - preserving the substance while modernizing the functionality.
In other areas, a new cement mortar covering was used. This decision was made not only from a technical point of view, but also as a deliberate part of an overall design concept. The flooring is smooth, has few joints and is robust. It radiates calm, provides orientation and blends in harmoniously without being obtrusive.
The building is not a stylized creative space, but a functional place for people who want to create. Everything has been designed to focus on learning and working. The rooms are clearly structured, the paths are logical and the light is targeted.
Today, the Deisswil cardboard factory is a place of learning with substance - and a strong example of how the conversion of existing buildings can be successful.
Here we do not decorate, but design. What is still viable is not replaced. And what is convincing is not staged.
