Today let me tell you about the Bally Capitol. What is it?
Built for the Bally company until 1968, it was the first modernist building on Bahnhofstrasse. It is listed as a cultural asset of regional importance.
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| Photo Credit: Fritz Maurer |
Founded in Switzerland in 1851, Bally is one of the oldest leather goods luxury brands in the world.
Over ten years ago they left the spacious (and crazy expensive) location at Zurich's Bahnhofstrasse (think, Fifth Avenue or Champs Elysées).
Originally, the striking Bally lettering - five spheres arranged vertically on top of each other, each with one letter - was to be removed. However, the city council placed the building under a preservation order and with it the five spheres.
While the building was being restored for the fashion chain Zara to move in, they were refurbished and fitted with red LED lights.
These can now display all the letters of the alphabet as well as numbers, as one of the workers who installed the globes says: "There are around 700 different words stored in the globes." They would display a different term every day. According to the fitter, the monument preservation authorities and the Office for Culture selected the words.
A friend and I like to make a game out of it. Whoever's in the city texts the other one "ready to Wordle?" It's harder than using the NY Times' app, but we are having fun.
One day we even managed to come to the city on the same day to have lunch.
Sometimes the word of the day has a cultural meaning, like on a Saturday in December when we typically light a candle on our advent wreath. A wreath in German is "Kranz", see below.
On January 6, the word was KRONE, crown, in connection with the three kings's day.
On February 7, it said ALARM, German for alert from Danger.
Every year on the first Wednesday in February, the annual siren test takes place throughout Switzerland. This tests the operational readiness not only of the "general alarm" sirens, but also of the "water alarm" sirens. The population does not have to take any protective measures.
A few days prior to the International Women's Day, it said GIRLS, and we were hopeful that it was going to be followed by WOMEN on March 8. However, I had to work, and my friend couldn't make it into the city either.
I posted in the purse FB group I am a member of (don't ask) and texted a friend who is a banker in Zurich and needs to walk by on his way to the train station.
Both came through The banker admitted that he usually took the tram but walked this one time to humor me. We were in for a disappointment though. The word said NELKE, carnation. WTF?
Most days though it's a totally random, most times German noun. Sometimes, however, it's an adjective, like SANFT = smooth(ly)
Or INNIG = heartfelt. I don't like the double letter words, they make it harder to guess.
On Good Friday they used the Italian word for fish (because 5 letters): PESCA. That was tough, too.
So we don't know when exactly this project was started. 700 words, that's less than two years. Will they refill the computer?
I have to admit I got hooked, and sometimes I try to sneak off to the city even though I don't "need" anything. I just want to see the word and play with my friends. Yes, plural, I infected another one. She had a class the other day, so of course I briefed her.
Remember the banker? After he went through all the trouble of walking to the train station and taking a picture and sending it to me? He asked "do I have to do this every day now?"
Do you play Wordle? Is there something like this near you?
Hi Tamara, thank you for sharing your blog about this iconic building in Switzerland and its preservation order. Great isn't it how history can be saved from destruction, and new companies like Zara can still move in and make a new home in it. The words changing each day on the outside globes are a fantastic idea - and I can see why you and your friend have fun trying to guess what the next word would be. Your photos are marvellous reminders aren't they of good memories. Actually, when I first saw the photo at the top of the blog, with the other triangular shaped building on the opposite side of the road, it immediately made me think of the Broadway department store in Los Angeles, that my (great great uncle from Holdenby England) had established a century or so ago - but I don't think that building is around anymore, it may have been pulled down. But I'm not sure, the building might have been taken over by Maceys or Bloomingdales instead, I can't recall.
ReplyDeleteThis is Alice Gerard from the Ultimate Blogging Challenge. What an interesting building. I love all of the words and I love looking at the building. I love that they use different letters of the alphabet each day and that they leave everyone guessing as to what the word of the day will be. Thank you for this story!
ReplyDeleteI don't play Wordle, but I think it's so cool that new words are on display each day. Those buildings are so beautiful, too! I am happy you shared so many pictures of them. Cute picture of the two of you, too. Yours makes you look like your hair extends to the hood or collar of your coat.
ReplyDeleteWell this is cool! I do play Wordle with my daughter and a couple of her friends. I imagine the list would be more than 700 words if they start using English.
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