A unique view from as little as CHF 150

After a planning odyssey, the social room in the Park Tower in Zug is finally ready for the public.

There is actually a direct lift to the social room on the 24th floor of the Park Tower. However, as this was out of order during the media visit, the house service guided us from the 23rd floor to the destination via a flight of stairs. This detour is rather symbolic of the long construction and planning ‘odyssey’ of the social room. After being empty for six years, the top floor is now accessible to residents of the City of Zug. It has been given the name of “Panorama 24" – the one of the four proposals that received the most support in a survey amongst the local population.

The first impression: the room is not really large, with a minimally equipped V-Zug kitchen, a cloakroom and a closet for tables and chairs on the total area of 101 square metres. The workmanship has a high-quality appearance – the use of cherry wood is fitting for the cherry canton of Zug, although the responsible persons were unable to say where in Switzerland it actually came from. The wooden walls and mirrors have the shape of a wave, thereby alluding to the Lake of Zug. A multimedia screen of monumental size is also embedded in the wall, and sound-absorbing acoustic elements hang from the plain ceiling. There are comfortable cushions on the large window sill, on which you inevitably turn around soon after sitting down in order to admire the view, which is actually overwhelming. The interior design concept was carried out by the interior designers of the Andrin Schweizer Company from Zurich.

CHF 625,000 for the interior fittings

Eliane Birchmeier, head of construction for the City of Zug, says she was "delighted" and "very satisfied" with the result. Despite the Corona pandemic, the opening date was able to be met, and she feels that the impressive budget of a total of CHF 625,000 from property credit and the additional credit for carpentry work is "well invested". She points out that there was initially only a shell construction, and the technical infrastructure, above all, was expensive – with the ventilation costing the most.

Photo 1: Possible uses include lectures, small banquets or aperitifs.
Photo 2: A minimally equipped kitchen is also part of the inventory – but without a stovetop
Photo 3: Panoramic view of lake Zug from the Park Tower

The fittings do not include a hob (hot plates) or a music system. When asked about this, the Construction Department explains that the lack of a hob in the kitchen area was a deliberate decision, in order not to place any additional stress on the ventilation system. With its large, floor-to-ceiling windows, the room heats up very strongly. And events with disco or dance music are not permitted according to the operating concept, so the installation of a music system was therefore not required.

Only for the residents and clubs of the City of Zug
For a few days now, It has been possible to book the "Panorama 24" via www.stadtzug.ch/saelereservation, and the occupancy rate over the next few months is still relatively low. The cheaper price category, aimed at clubs and non-profit organisations based in the city of Zug, in addition to the cantonal administration, starts at CHF 150 for three and a half hours. The maximum price for the more expensive price category, which is aimed at companies and organisations based in the city, is CHF 600 for a day. The room is usable during the week from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and up to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. A maximum of 50 people are allowed, with the recommended number being 30. In addition to "cultural and social events", the 24th floor can also be used for weddings, according to the information brochure.