Oceanic House

History: The owner of the commercial building was embroidery entrepreneur Karl Fenkart. The name “Oceanic” was intended to illustrate the advanced internationalization of the St.Gallen embroidery business and a commitment to cosmopolitanism in the eastern Swiss metropolis. The entrepreneur Adolf Hufenus bought Oceanic a few years after it was built. During the economic boom up to 1914, he was a leader in the manufacture and export of high-quality embroidery and at the same time amassed an important collection of lace and embroidery. In 1959, Bischoff Textil AG, an internationally renowned embroidery manufacturer based in St. Gallen, purchased both the collection and the company. Architecture: The Oceanic house is characterized by its curved façade and the stilt-legged first floor. These stilts span the first two floors and support the three floors above. The entire structure is made of reinforced concrete and the façade is clad in gray sandstone. The room layout was based on “corporate architecture” and combined business and private life under one roof: the showrooms for customer reception, the design and development site for the precious fabrics and the Fenkart family's spacious apartment were all located in the Oceanic building. Current use: Today, the building belongs to the Swiss Life Investment Foundation. It houses various offices and stores, including a tattoo studio.