The extension of the existing building by Jean-Jacques Tchumi has been awarded a regional distinction of these esteemed awards dedicated to exceptional timber construction. Many thanks to localarchitecture, Thinka and Ateliers Casaï!
Situated at the northern entrance to the EPFL campus, the SwissTech Convention Center becomes a new landmark, a clearly identifiable reference point in the landscape. The metallic shell, closely following the internal spatial configuration of the optimised main auditorium, seems to float over the glazed facades that enclose both the auditorium and the foyer, allowing a maximum of daylight to penetrate the inner spaces.
The convention center roof, 67 m wide and 116 m long and cantilevered some 40 m above the foyer, represents the structural jewel in the crown of this Building. The close collaboration between engineers and architects began very early in the project's design phase.