Return to the Fold: Halle Q and the Quiet Revolution of Urban Making

There’s something quietly radical happening in Zürich. Tucked between the tracks of Altstetten, a hulking yellow-brick hall once destined for obsolescence is churning back into life; not with steam engines and soot, but with the scent of botanical gin, hand-tempered chocolate and waxy soap stirred in steel vats by people who still believe in craft.

Welcome to Halle Q: the reawakened heart of Werkstadt Zürich, a former railway workshop reshaped into an inner-city factory of ideas, production and place.

This is not a cosmetic refresh. It is regeneration with bite. Built in 1911 for the Schweizerische Bundesbahnen (SBB), Halle Q once echoed with the clang of metal and the hydraulic hiss of train maintenance. Over a century later, the original steel trusses still span the 10,000 m² industrial nave. Today, they frame a new rhythm of activity: urban manufacture, community enterprise and design-led industry.

The architectural rethink, led by baubüro in situ, preserved the structure’s integrity. No facadism, no flattening of history. Reuse became a guiding principle – rail beams now serve as gallery supports, and salvaged materials have been reworked into modular timber frames that divide the vast space into flexible quadrants. The layout adapts with ease, shifting between intimate ateliers and expansive clean-tech bays. Tenants have the freedom to evolve, respond and create.

This is sustainability grounded in pragmatism – low embodied CO₂, circular systems and a deliberate decision to leave the building’s original character intact.

The Return of the Maker Class

The hall is no longer a relic of industrial legacy but a working studio of modern-day artisans. A new generation of micro-industrialists now sets the pace. Soeder’s hand-mixed botanical soaps and creams speak of a slow, alpine purity. Deux Frères distils sharp, herbaceous gins with a brotherly sense of mischief and place. Laflor crafts its chocolate with the deliberate patience of a patissier, drawing from fair-trade cacao and Swiss discipline. Qwstion, meticulous and minimalist, fashions sustainable bags that marry Tokyo poise with Zurich grit. Zuriga builds espresso machines with the precision of a watchmaker. And then there is Bierwerk Züri, pouring from its tanks each Friday in a communal swirl of conversation, hops and local pride.

None of this is staged. These are not showroom façades dressed in reclaimed wood and brand theatre. This is real production – restored to the centre of the city. Halle Q gives shape to a quiet resurgence where creativity and economy become collaborators.

A Template for the Future

Zürich has not simply salvaged an old railway hall. It has demonstrated that regeneration means more than cleaning up the edges. While many cities erase their industrial cores in favour of glossy districts or push production to the periphery, this project returns activity to the heart of the neighbourhood – visible, vibrant and alive.

The lesson is in the method. Begin not with blank-slate demolition, but with intelligent reuse. Resist the urge to sanitise every corner. Let the brick breathe. Prioritise openness. Production here happens in plain view, with workshops that double as community touchpoints. Blend the energy of young start-ups with the stability of established names. And above all, invest in cultural longevity rather than short-term gain.

Halle Q remains a work in progress. Its charm lies in the way it flexes. This is a place designed to evolve and reflect the cadence of those who inhabit it. In this former rail yard, the city finds a new rhythm – one that makes space for hands-on craft, slow work, shared air and tangible outcomes. A rhythm that brings industry home.