Transformation of a 700m2 industrial hall into 3 independent workshops
Sector:Real Estate / Risk Management / Project ManagementPeriod:[Year to be specified]Location:SwitzerlandContext:Personal project (optimization of a real estate asset)
Context
Following the bankruptcy of a single tenant —12 months of lost rent— I analyzed the situation and identified the fundamental problem:one tenant = total concentrated risk.
The solution was not to find a new single tenant, but tocompletely rethink the structure of the propertyto eliminate this risk at the source.
Problem
Identified real estate risk:
- Single 700m2 hall rented to one tenant
- Tenant bankruptcy = total loss of income during the entire process
- 12 months of unpaid rent = significant loss
- Structural vulnerability: impossible to correct without physical intervention on the building
Transformation challenge:
- Divide an open industrial hall into3 independent and viable rental units
- Each unit must beself-sufficient: independent access, separate electricity, restrooms
- Respect Swiss building standards
- Obtain the necessary permits
- Manage the construction site within deadlines and budget
Solution
Phase 1: Analysis and design
Diagnosis:
- Space analysis (flow, access, structural constraints)
- Study of division possibilities (3 economically viable units)
- Profitability calculation: 3 average rents vs 1 large rent + concentrated risk
Architectural design:
- Complete drawing of architectural plans (division, partitions, access, networks)
- Submission and validation by a certified architect
- Obtaining building permits
Phase 2: Project management
My role: Project owner and project manager
Coordination of trades:
- Structural work (partition walls, structure)
- Electricity (3 independent meters, power lines)
- Plumbing (sanitary facilities per unit)
- Access (industrial doors, independent gates)
- Safety (emergency exits, fire compliance)
Site monitoring:
- Planning and coordination of stakeholders
- Quality control and compliance with plans
- Management of unforeseen events and adjustments during construction
- Acceptance of work
Phase 3: Delivery and leasing
- 3 independent units delivered and compliant
- Successive leasing of the 3 spaces
- Rental risk divided by 3
Result
Deliverables:
- 700m2 hall transformed into3 independent workshops
- Approved architectural plans and permits obtained
- Coordinated and delivered construction site (complete project management)
- 3 autonomous units (access, electricity, restrooms)
Impact:
- Rental risk divided by 3: the bankruptcy of a tenant now only impacts 33% of the income
- Optimized rental income: 3 average rents > 1 large rent in terms of overall risk
- Valued real estate asset: more flexible, more attractive, more resilient
- Problem turned into opportunity: a rental crisis has become a strategic restructuring of the asset
This project demonstrates:
- Strategic thinking: not just solving the immediate problem, but eliminating the structural cause
- Project management capability: from design to delivery
- Versatility: financial analysis + architectural design + construction coordination
- Concrete risk management: not theory, a physical and economic solution
Photos/Visuals
Tags:projects, real estate, project management, risk management, transformation, Switzerland, construction