HIF building, ETH Hönggerberg

Flexible Workplace Landscape

The present HIF building, consisting of a hall wing and an office/laboratory wing, is being extended in a way that creates a concise ensemble with an attractive entrance situation on Laura-Hezner-Weg. The requirement for the building to continue in use during the construction period has been met sophisticatedly, avoiding the need for elaborate temporary measures.

The ceilings in some parts of the existing building are too low for laboratory use. This situation has been compensated for by devising cascaded usage sequences, so that rooms closely tailored to specific purposes will be available after refur-bishment. The internal circulation between the existing floors and the new ones is optimised for disabled access, making workflows more efficient and generating synergies among the various institutes.

The load-bearing structure and the building services are organised in a way that promotes long-term flexibility in the floor layouts. The design of the common interior spaces fosters a sense of identity through informal communication zones and two-storey lounge areas, which promote contact and communication among researchers and students.

The architecture also subtly differentiates between public facilities, offices and laboratories, articulating the horizontal layering of uses and subdividing the volume as a whole in the vertical dimension.

Credits

Commissioned study after prequalification,3rd prize 2015
Construction sum: CHF 150 mn
Client: ETH Zürich
General planner: Bob Gysin Partner BGP Architekten ETH SIA BSA
with S + B Baumanagement, Zug
Structural engineer: Basler & Hofmann, Zürich
Building services engineer: Ernst Basler Partner, Zürich
Electrical engineer: Hefti Hess Martignoni, Zürich
Energy and sustainability: EK Energiekonzepte, Zürich
Façade consultant: Emmer Pfenniger, Münchenstein
Laboratory consultant: Dr. Heinekamp, Basel