NO. 293
284 ACTELION BUSINESS CENTER
284
Actelion Business Center
Allschwil, Switzerland
Project 2005-2009, realization 2007-2010
In contrast to the densely built-up surroundings with rigidly defined shapes, the new Actelion Business Center building is an open structure comprising beam-like elements, stacked on top of one another, which change their appearance depending on the angle from which they are viewed. The spaces between the beam structures allow for visual connections inward and outward to the adjacent laboratories, nearby office buildings and sports fields. The apparently random arrangement of the office beams not only provides unusual views within and to the outside, but also generates terraces and courtyards in many different sizes and qualities for employees to work, take breaks, and gather to meet formally or informally.
The office workplaces are arranged in linear pods, exposed to a plentiful supply of daylight in the upper storeys. The modular layout and column-free areas satisfy the needs of various office typologies and differently sized offices. Meeting rooms and lounge-style areas are situated at the intersections of beams to increase inter-departmental communication within the company. Additional functions such as a restaurant, café, auditorium, service facilities and outdoor areas on the ground floor are accessible to the public.
A clearly defined development principle and a clear structural concept define and organise the layout of the office pods simplifying accessibility and orientation in what appears to be a complex space. All employees and visitors access the ground floor by a central foyer so that controlled admission to the offices on the upper floors is ensured. Four vertical access cores with stairways and lifts serve the office floors as well as offer safe escape routes in the event of fire.
Herzog & de Meuron, 2010
The office workplaces are arranged in linear pods, exposed to a plentiful supply of daylight in the upper storeys. The modular layout and column-free areas satisfy the needs of various office typologies and differently sized offices. Meeting rooms and lounge-style areas are situated at the intersections of beams to increase inter-departmental communication within the company. Additional functions such as a restaurant, café, auditorium, service facilities and outdoor areas on the ground floor are accessible to the public.
A clearly defined development principle and a clear structural concept define and organise the layout of the office pods simplifying accessibility and orientation in what appears to be a complex space. All employees and visitors access the ground floor by a central foyer so that controlled admission to the offices on the upper floors is ensured. Four vertical access cores with stairways and lifts serve the office floors as well as offer safe escape routes in the event of fire.
Herzog & de Meuron, 2010
FACTS
Herzog & de Meuron Team:
Partners: Jacques Herzog, Pierre de Meuron, Stefan Marbach
Project Architects: Martin Fröhlich (Associate), Michael Fischer (Associate)
Project Team: Enzo Augello, Peter Becker, Gabriela Bertozzi Werner, Martin Bittmann, Laetitia Buchter, Stephan Burger, Oliver Franke, Nikolai Happ, Fabienne Hoelzel, Debora Hummel, Yasmin Kherad, Manuel Lucas Klauser, Martin Krapp, Benno Lincke, Kenan Liu, Sebastian Lippert, My Long, Lush Manrecaj, Adriana Müller, Chasper Padrutt, Michel Pauli, Ella Ryhiner, Gabriele Schell, Hee-Jun Sim, Hendrik Steinigeweg, Moritz Thierfelder, Fabio Verardo, Thomas von Girsewald, Xinyuan Wang, Thomasine Wolfensberger, Daniel Zielinski
Client:
Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Allschwil, Switzerland
Planning:
General Planning: ARGE GP Headquarters Actelion, Basel, Switzerland; Herzog & de Meuron, Basel, Switzerland; Proplaning, Basel, Switzerland
Architect Planning: Herzog & de Meuron, Basel, Switzerland
Architect Construction: Proplaning, Basel, Switzerland
Structural Engineering: WGG Schnetzer Puskas Ingenieure AG, Basel, Switzerland
Construction Management: ARGE GP Headquarters Actelion, Basel, Switzerland; Herzog & de Meuron, Basel, Switzerland; Proplaning, Basel, Switzerland
HVAC Engineering: Stokar + Partner AG, Basel, Switzerland
Plumbing Engineering: Locher, Schwittay Gebäudetechnik GmbH, Basel, Switzerland
Mechanical Engineering: TRANSSOLAR, Energietechnik GmbH, Stuttgart, Germany
Electrical Engineering: Karl Schweizer AG, Allschwil, Switzerland
Landscape Design: Tita Giese, Düsseldorf, Germany
Specialist / Consulting:
Facade Consulting: Emmer Pfenninger Partner AG, Münchenstein, Switzerland
Building Physics: Zimmermann + Leuthe GmbH, Aetigkofen, Switzerland
Geometrician: Jermann Ingenieure + Geometer AG, Binningen, Switzerland
Traffic Planning: Rapp Infra AG, Basel, Switzerland
Fire Protection: Swiss Institute of Safety and Security, Zürich, Switzerland
Safety Consulting: Gruner AG Ingenieure und Planer, Basel, Switzerland
Acoustics: Martin Lienhard, Büro für Bau- und Raumakustik, Langenbruck, Switzerland
Gastronomy Consulting: HOSTA AG, Basel, Switzerland
Botanical Consulting: Gysi Berglas AG, Baar, Switzerland
Geologist: Kiefer – Studer AG, Reinach, Switzerland
Building Data:
Site Area: 7,611sqm / 81,924sqft
Building Footprint: 3,192sqm / 34,358sqft
Building Dimensions: Length 80m / 262ft; Width 80m / 262ft; Height 21m / 69ft
Gross Floor Area: 27,201sqm / 292,791sqft; above ground 15,485sqm / 166,680sqft; below ground 11,984sqm / 128,995sqft
Program:
The Business Center at the Allschwil site houses staff from various business areas. These include: Business Operations & Marketing, Business Development, IT, Human Resources, Corporate Communications, Investor Relations & Public Affairs, Corporate Affairs & Compliance and Corporate Services.
- Approx. 350 workplaces
- Auditorium
- Restaurant
- Café-bar
- Approx. 150 parking spaces
Partners: Jacques Herzog, Pierre de Meuron, Stefan Marbach
Project Architects: Martin Fröhlich (Associate), Michael Fischer (Associate)
Project Team: Enzo Augello, Peter Becker, Gabriela Bertozzi Werner, Martin Bittmann, Laetitia Buchter, Stephan Burger, Oliver Franke, Nikolai Happ, Fabienne Hoelzel, Debora Hummel, Yasmin Kherad, Manuel Lucas Klauser, Martin Krapp, Benno Lincke, Kenan Liu, Sebastian Lippert, My Long, Lush Manrecaj, Adriana Müller, Chasper Padrutt, Michel Pauli, Ella Ryhiner, Gabriele Schell, Hee-Jun Sim, Hendrik Steinigeweg, Moritz Thierfelder, Fabio Verardo, Thomas von Girsewald, Xinyuan Wang, Thomasine Wolfensberger, Daniel Zielinski
Client:
Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Allschwil, Switzerland
Planning:
General Planning: ARGE GP Headquarters Actelion, Basel, Switzerland; Herzog & de Meuron, Basel, Switzerland; Proplaning, Basel, Switzerland
Architect Planning: Herzog & de Meuron, Basel, Switzerland
Architect Construction: Proplaning, Basel, Switzerland
Structural Engineering: WGG Schnetzer Puskas Ingenieure AG, Basel, Switzerland
Construction Management: ARGE GP Headquarters Actelion, Basel, Switzerland; Herzog & de Meuron, Basel, Switzerland; Proplaning, Basel, Switzerland
HVAC Engineering: Stokar + Partner AG, Basel, Switzerland
Plumbing Engineering: Locher, Schwittay Gebäudetechnik GmbH, Basel, Switzerland
Mechanical Engineering: TRANSSOLAR, Energietechnik GmbH, Stuttgart, Germany
Electrical Engineering: Karl Schweizer AG, Allschwil, Switzerland
Landscape Design: Tita Giese, Düsseldorf, Germany
Specialist / Consulting:
Facade Consulting: Emmer Pfenninger Partner AG, Münchenstein, Switzerland
Building Physics: Zimmermann + Leuthe GmbH, Aetigkofen, Switzerland
Geometrician: Jermann Ingenieure + Geometer AG, Binningen, Switzerland
Traffic Planning: Rapp Infra AG, Basel, Switzerland
Fire Protection: Swiss Institute of Safety and Security, Zürich, Switzerland
Safety Consulting: Gruner AG Ingenieure und Planer, Basel, Switzerland
Acoustics: Martin Lienhard, Büro für Bau- und Raumakustik, Langenbruck, Switzerland
Gastronomy Consulting: HOSTA AG, Basel, Switzerland
Botanical Consulting: Gysi Berglas AG, Baar, Switzerland
Geologist: Kiefer – Studer AG, Reinach, Switzerland
Building Data:
Site Area: 7,611sqm / 81,924sqft
Building Footprint: 3,192sqm / 34,358sqft
Building Dimensions: Length 80m / 262ft; Width 80m / 262ft; Height 21m / 69ft
Gross Floor Area: 27,201sqm / 292,791sqft; above ground 15,485sqm / 166,680sqft; below ground 11,984sqm / 128,995sqft
Program:
The Business Center at the Allschwil site houses staff from various business areas. These include: Business Operations & Marketing, Business Development, IT, Human Resources, Corporate Communications, Investor Relations & Public Affairs, Corporate Affairs & Compliance and Corporate Services.
- Approx. 350 workplaces
- Auditorium
- Restaurant
- Café-bar
- Approx. 150 parking spaces
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Astrid Rappel: Herzog & de Meuron. Siège Social d'Actelion, Allschwil.
In: Frédéric Lenne (Ed.). AMC. Le Moniteur Architecture. Vol. No. 207, Paris, Groupe Moniteur S.A.S., 06.2011. pp. 84-90.
Complejo Actelion, Allschwil-Basilea, Suiza. Herzog & de Meuron. Barras apiladas, Actelion Business Center, Allschwil Basilea.
In: Luis Fernández-Galiano (Ed.). Arquitectura Viva Monografías. Laboratorio Basilea. Novartis, Roche, Actelion, Vitra: Campus de Autor. Vol. No. 134, Madrid, Arquitectura Viva, 09.2010. pp. 56-63.
Fernando Márquez Cecilia; Richard Levene (Eds.): El Croquis. Herzog & de Meuron 2005-2010. Programme, Monument, Landscape. Programa, Monumento, Paisaje.
Vol. No. 152/153, Madrid, El Croquis, 2010.
In: Frédéric Lenne (Ed.). AMC. Le Moniteur Architecture. Vol. No. 207, Paris, Groupe Moniteur S.A.S., 06.2011. pp. 84-90.
Complejo Actelion, Allschwil-Basilea, Suiza. Herzog & de Meuron. Barras apiladas, Actelion Business Center, Allschwil Basilea.
In: Luis Fernández-Galiano (Ed.). Arquitectura Viva Monografías. Laboratorio Basilea. Novartis, Roche, Actelion, Vitra: Campus de Autor. Vol. No. 134, Madrid, Arquitectura Viva, 09.2010. pp. 56-63.
Fernando Márquez Cecilia; Richard Levene (Eds.): El Croquis. Herzog & de Meuron 2005-2010. Programme, Monument, Landscape. Programa, Monumento, Paisaje.
Vol. No. 152/153, Madrid, El Croquis, 2010.
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