Swiss Re Office Building

Detached though not isolated: this is the theme behind the design of the Swiss Re office building, which consists of individual office units shaped like the sails of a windmill and allowing employees to concentrate on team and project work without losing overall togetherness with other groups. Broad glass façades offer a view of the surrounding buildings. Accessible bridges between units of floating structures create short routes for fast, personal contact between employees. A central main hall has been deliberately incorporated to act as a road without dead ends, linking all the work complexes together. Our objective here was to achieve a sensation of openness. Areas of water, clearings and plantations are positioned so that the building fits in harmoniously with the surrounding natural environment and creates a peaceful, relaxed work milieu for employees and clients. From the very outset, the project sought lightness, transparency and naturalness. In an industrial area without apparent uniform growth, our building will hopefully show the way for future projects to follow.