Oceanic House
The embroidery office building Oceanic at the St.Leonhardstrasse 20 was built in 1904/1905. It was the first art nouveau building of St.Gallen.
History:
Constructor of the office building was Karl Fenkart, an embroidery entrepreneur. The name “Oceanic” illustrated the advanced internationalisation of the embroidery business in St.Gallen and its commitment to cosmopolitanism in the metropolis of Eastern Switzerland.
Architecture:
The Oceanic house is characterized by its curved facade and the stalked ground floor. The architectural construction is made from ferroconcrete and the facade is covered with grey freestone. A prominent characteristic is the artistic composition of the facade and the staircase with bas-relief.
The room layout was planned after the concept of “corporate architecture” and hence consolidated private and corporate life; the showrooms for the reception of clients, the design and development offices as well as the extensive apartment of the Fenkart family were all located in the “Oceanic”.
Present-day use:
The entrepreneur Adolf Hufenus bought the Oceanic house only a few years after it was built. He was a leading figure in manufacturing and export of high-quality embroidery during the boom until 1914 and had created a considerable collection of lace and embroidery at the same time. In 1959, Bischoff Textil AG – an internationally renowned embroidery producer with its headquarters in St.Gallen – bought the collection as well as the company itself. Today, the Swiss Life, a leading European insurance group with H in Zurich is the owner of the building.