The headquarters of Credit Suisse at Paradeplatz remains a definitive structure within the architectural legacy of Jakob Friedrich Wanner. Operating during an era of significant industrial evolution, Wanner shaped the built environment of nineteenth-century Switzerland, focusing his professional practice on the development of transit infrastructure and monumental urban buildings throughout the region.
Early Career and Emigration
Born in 1830 in Illingen, Kingdom of Württemberg, Wanner initially trained as a draftsman and served as a construction supervisor in Stuttgart. He married Catharina Kaufmann in 1853 and relocated to Switzerland in 1857. His early Swiss career began with the Swiss Northeastern Railway under the leadership of Alfred Escher, an association that proved pivotal for his subsequent portfolio.
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Wanner served as the principal architect for the Swiss Northeastern Railway beginning in 1861. His work in the railway sector included the construction of several major transit hubs. He oversaw the projects for the stations in Frauenfeld, Winterthur, Aarau, and Schaffhausen, the latter completed in a joint venture with the Grand Duchy of Baden State Railways. His most prominent transit project was the Zurich Main Station, which utilized a project draft created by Gottfried Semper.
Professional Evolution and Final Years
After a brief tenure as the city architect of Zürich, Wanner focused on major urban commissions and independent practice. He achieved Swiss citizenship in 1867. Between 1872 and 1877, he directed the design and construction of the Credit Suisse headquarters. In 1878, he transitioned to an independent practice, which he maintained until his death from a stroke on 24 January 1903.
Fast facts
- Born: 1830, Illingen, Kingdom of Württemberg
- Died: 24 January 1903, Zurich
- Nationality: Switzerland
- Notable Work: Zurich Main Station (Zürich Hauptbahnhof)
- Notable Work: Credit Suisse headquarters at Paradeplatz
- Notable Work: Winterthur railway station
- Notable Work: Schaffhausen railway station
- Notable Work: Aarau railway station
Questions readers ask
What major railway station did Wanner design?
He was the principal architect for the Zurich Main Station, based on a project draft by Gottfried Semper.
Where did Wanner work before his career in Switzerland?
He completed an apprenticeship as a draftsman and worked as a construction supervisor in Stuttgart.
Achievements
- Notable work: Zürich Hauptbahnhof
- Notable work: Winterthur railway station
- Notable work: Aarau railway station
- Notable work: Schaffhausen railway station
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