Reused Shipping Containers Form Twenty-Year Zurich Landmark
Built from 19 decommissioned freight containers, the FREITAG Flagship Store in Zurich has reached its twentieth anniversary. The modular structure combines adaptive reuse, retail architecture and circular design in a former industrial area of the city.
Opened in 2006, the container tower stands in Zurich-West, near the Hardbrücke railway station. Its weathered steel exterior reflects FREITAG’s wider use of discarded materials, including truck tarpaulins, car seat belts and ski boots. An anniversary exhibition now explores the development of the building and the company’s approach to giving materials a second life.
From Freight Containers To Retail Space
The idea for the store emerged when a plot near FREITAG’s former bag factory became available in 2005. Working with architecture studio spillman echsle, the company selected retired containers from the port of Hamburg. The building permit, material selection and construction process took around six months.
The containers were stacked to create a narrow tower that remains below Zurich’s official high-rise threshold. The upper level includes a viewing platform overlooking the surrounding railway lines and roads, where trucks transport the same type of tarpaulins used in FREITAG’s bags.
A Modular Building That Evolved
Although conceived as a temporary structure, the store remained in place under a provisional building permit and fixed-term lease. Its modular design allowed the retail area to expand in 2010 through the addition of two containers.
Further changes followed as the building’s long-term use became clearer. Energy-efficiency measures, including a heat pump, contributed to the store receiving permanent approval in 2014. In 2019, corrosion and an extension of the land lease led to a complete renovation and a new protective coating.
A photovoltaic installation added in mid-2026 now shades the metal roofs while generating solar power for the store. Next to the tower, a Repair Kiosk opened in 2025, providing a central location where customers can have FREITAG products repaired. Together, these interventions show how an existing modular structure can adapt to changing functional and environmental requirements.
Exploring The Second Life Of Materials
To mark the anniversary, the upper floors are hosting A Second Life – Used Materials, New Purposes. The exhibition features previously unpublished archive material documenting the company’s history and the creation of the container building.
The project was developed by FREITAG and spillman echsle, with construction and metalwork by Raumbau AG and structural engineering by Paul Billeter. Exent AG has handled conversions and structural engineering since 2014.
Source: FREITAG
Photos: FREITAG / Roland Tännler / Seraina Wirz