Zug’s Architectural Leap into Modernity

Seventy years ago, Zug architect Hanns Anton Brütsch set new standards with the construction of the "Tugium" high-rise, a landmark development that still shapes the city's urban landscape today.

Today, high-rises are a familiar sight in Zug. The push toward vertical development actually began as early as 1932, when a master plan by Landis+Gyr proposed a 14-story tower along Dammstrasse. However, escalating political tensions across Europe and the outbreak of World War II soon relegated these ambitions to the background.

In the post-war years, the high-rise debate resurfaced, and discussions took place across Switzerland. In Zug, the visionary architect Hanns Anton Brütsch (1916–1997) emerged as a leading figure. In 1951, the Eisenbahn consortium proposed a 43-meter, 15-story high-rise at today's Baarerstrasse 11. Brütsch, working with Alois Stadler, designed the project. However, because it allegedly did not comply with the existing building regulations, it was ultimately rejected in favor of a proposal by the Hafner & Wiederkehr architectural firm.

Filling up and shopping in one stop

The Baarerstrasse 11 proposal sparked a broader debate about the future development of the entire street, eventually leading to the first official zoning plan for Baarerstrasse in 1954. Even earlier, in 1952, Brütsch had submitted plans for a residential and commercial building on the former Kohlenhof site at Baarerstrasse 25–27. Although his design also violated existing building codes, Brütsch pursued it deliberately — aiming to provoke a revision of the outdated regulations in favor of a modern, future-oriented urban vision. After some adjustments, Brütsch received the green light in 1954 under the new zoning plan.

By 1956, Brütsch's residential and commercial building — named Tugium (Latin for "Zug") — was completed. The structure, known as a "slab high-rise," embodied the most modern standards of the time. "Slab" refers to its distinctive, elongated shape with minimal width and depth — a form that remained fashionable until the 1970s.

The eight-story, panel-clad building was set back about 20 meters from Baarerstrasse. The space in front was partially filled by a low, single-story wing housing shops, initially only spanning about half the building's length. Next to it, roughly where the Migros Bank entrance stands today, a gas station once operated — a detail many long-time residents of Zug still remember.

On April 11, 1957, Migros opened a new store on the ground floor. With its spacious layout, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and technical innovations, it quickly became known as the most modern supermarket in Switzerland. However, neighboring shops were less enthusiastic, having lost customers to the new "Dutti store" (nicknamed after Migros founder Gottlieb Duttweiler). In September 1987, the Migros market moved out of Tugium and into the newly built Metalli shopping center across the street.
 

Image: Matthias Jurt (Zug, 24. 4. 2025)

Timeless modernity

Access to the slab high-rise is provided by two rear stairwells with elevators. Continuous windows and balconies across the residential floors give the Tugium its distinct horizontal banded appearance. Originally painted in alternating gray and ochre tones, the building soon earned the affectionate nickname "Crèmeschnitte" (cream slice) among locals. One of its most striking features remains the prominent rooftop structure, giving the building a distinctive frame against the sky.

With the Tugium, Hanns A. Brütsch once again proved himself to be a visionary pioneer, not only for Zug but for the wider region. Up until the 1980s, the Tugium stood almost iconically above its much lower, historic surroundings, projecting a sense of timeless modernity. Gradually, new buildings rose on either side, shaping the dense urban environment we see today. The future of this part of town remains open, depending on whether the repeatedly delayed zoning plan for Baarerstrasse — first drafted in 2004 — finally moves forward.