The Rolex Learning Center at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland will open its doors on Feb 22th.

The building, designed by the acclaimed Japanese firm SANAA, features one of the most impressive concrete surfaces I have ever seen, creating a fluid space for students to enjoy. Interesting comments by Ryue Nishizawa on the relation between organic forms in architecture and human life. While the building is a perfect rectangle when seen in a plan view, the curves and slopes which define the interior space give the building a totally organic look.

More photos after the break.

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© Nacasa & Partners

Architect: Gwenael Nicolas – Curiosity
Location: Interlaken, Switzerland
Client: Kanebo Cosmetics Inc.
Project Year: 2009
Photographs: Nacasa & Partners

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© Bruno Helbling

Architects: nimmrichter cda, Architekten ETH SIA
Location: Dietlikon, Switzerland
Project Team: Rolf Carl Nimmrichter, Dennis Clayton Matthiesen
Site management: Knecht Baumangement, Schlieren
Timber construction: Hector Egger, Langenthal
Interior: Teo Jakob Colombo, Zurich
Project Year: 2007-2008
Photographs: Bruno Helbling, Zurich

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@ Iwan Baan

Architects: SeARCH & CMA
Location: Vals, Switzerland
Design: Bjarne Mastenbroek & Christian Müller
Interior design cardboard bedroom: Studio JVM, Jeroen van Mechelen
Interior design excluding cardboard bedroom: Bjarne Mastenbroek
Interior advises: Christian Müller, Monica Ketting & Thomas Eyck
Contractor main structure: Kurt Schnyder Bauunternehmung, Vals, CH
Structural engineering: Alex Kilchmann, Schluein, CH
Glass façade engineering and construction: Walch GmbH, Ludesch, AT
Carpenter, interior finishing: A. Gartmann AG, Vals, CH
Cardboard interior: Nedcam shaping technology, Apeldoorn, NL
Cupboards, step chest: van hier tot Tokio’, Japanese Antiques
Electrical installations: Comet GmbH, Vals, CH
Plumbing & Water installations: Oscar Caduff, Vals, CH
Mechanical Ventilation & heating regeneration: Lippuner EMT AG, Grabs, CH
Avalanche protection: Geobrugg AG, Romanshorn, CH
Fire places and stoves: Maurus Cathomas, Ilanz, CH
Project Year: 2009
Photographs: Iwan Baan

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Architects: Camenzind Evolution
Location: Zürich, Switzerland
Project Team: Stefan Camenzind, Tanya Ruegg
Client: Google Inc.
Site Managment: Quadras Baumanagement Ltd.
Building Engineering: Amstein + Walthert Ltd.
Office Furniture Consultant: Büronauten Ltd.
Catering Consultant: Planbar Ltd.
Project Area: 12,000 sqm
Project year: 2007
Construction year: 2007-2008
Photographs: Camenzind Evolution

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Architects: Camenzind Evolution
Location: Zürich, Switzerland
Project Team: Stefan Camenzind, Marco Noch, Susanne Zenker
Client: Swiss Life
Project Area: 1,900 sqm
Budget: US $8,800,000
Project year: 2006-2007
Photographs: Camenzind Evolution

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Designed and built by second year students of the Alice Studio at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, the Evolver is a wooden alpine structure that “provides a more interactive way to take in the views of the glorious mountains – especially the Matterhorn.”

More about the project after the break. read more »

Switzerland unveiled the model of its national pavilion for World Expo Shanghai, a pavilion with soybean-fibre coverage and entertaining rooftop cable cars.

The design by Buchner Bründler Architects, chosen out of the 104 candidates through a world-wide competition, focuses on the sustainable development as well as harmony and balance, which coincide with the Chinese philosophy of Yin and Yang.

“This piece of work best shows the characteristics of modern Switzerland – pursuing excellence, innovation and high-quality life,” said Manuel Salchli, deputy commissioner general of the Swiss pavilion in the Expo. “We hope to attract a big percentage of the 70 million visitors to the Expo Shanghai.”

The most distinguished feature of the pavilion is the outside curtain, made from degradable soybeans and dye-sensitized solar cells that are capable of generating electricity, introduces Salchli. The curtain will present an image of forest, which will remind people of the nature, said Salchli. And the fibre of the curtain could be degraded after being disposed in the soil in two week.

Seen at Archtracker. More images after the break. read more »

Architects: Alejandro Aravena
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Project team: Alejandro Aravena + Ricardo Torrejón + Víctor Oddó
Partner Architects in Germany: Osolin Plüss
Models: Ricardo Torrejón
Built Area: 600 sqm
Project: 2008
Renders: Víctor Oddó

Also, Alejandro Aravena shared with us the Sketchup model that you can download here

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Architect: Nunatak Sàrl Architectes
Location: Wallis, Switzerland
Project team: Vassaux Roland, Chervaz Joël, Vassaux Raymond, Scrufari Philippe, Cretton David, Chassot Philippe
Constructed Area: 182 sqm
Project year: 2003
Photographs: Dominique MarcWehrli

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Architect: Luca Selva Architects
Location: Lupsingen near Basel, Switzerland
Client: Private
Project year: 2004-2005
Project architect: Christoph Rothenhöfer
Civil engineer: Bitterli + Partner Ingenieure AG, Gelterkinden, Switzerland
Building physicist: reber.physics, Riehen, Switzerland
Photographs: Ruedi Walti, Menga von Sprecher

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Architects: EM2N
Location: Greifensee, Switzerland
Programme: new building: 3 childrens’ rooms, 1 bathroom, 2 patios, 1 home cinema/hobby room
Client: Private
Engineers: Tragwerk Bauingenieure GmbH, Zürich
Design year: 2003-2008
Constructed Area: new building: 67 sqm, conversion ground floor: 127 sqm
Photographs: Hannes Henz

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Architects: Luca Selva Architects
Location: Binningen, Switzerland
Project year: 2008
Collaborators: Barbara Andres, Roger Braccini
Site Manager: Sabin Achermann
Landscape Architects: August Künzel Landschaftsarchitekten, Basel
Structural Engineer: Walther Mory Maier, Basel
Photographs: Ruedi Walti

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Architects: Markus Wespi Jérôme de Meuron architects
Location: Scaiano, Switzerland
Site Area: 330 sqm
Construction Area: 70 sqm
Project year: 2005
Photographs: Hannes Henz

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From april 18 to april 26, 2009, Swiss Association of Engineers and Architects (SIA) organizes the Contemporary Architecture Week. All along the week, visits to more than 100 contemporary buildings will be organized and led by each building’s author. In the same days, a series of conferences will be held in Geneva, Lausanne, Fribourg and Bern. The list of all visits and conferences can be downloaded here and here.

Architects: Markus Wespi Jérôme de Meuron architects
Location: Caviano, Switzerland
Project year: 2008
Photographs: Wespi de Meuron

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Built over the only thermal springs in the Graubunden Canton in Switzerland, The Therme Vals is a hotel and spa in one which combines a complete sensory experience designed by Peter Zumthor.

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Architects:  Francis Isoz
Location: Rue du Grand Chêne 8, Lausanne, Switzerland
Project Year: 1898-1900
Client: Jean-Jacques Mercier

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Architects: EM2N
Location: Liestal, Switzerland
Project team: Bernd Druffel, Marc Holle, Fredrik Johansson, Katharina Klinger, Thilo Kroeschell, Satu Marjanen, Claudia Meier, Mathias Müller, Daniel Niggli, Claudia Peter, Christoph Rothenhöfer
Programme: Shelter rooms for cultural assets / Archive extension / New office spaces for archivists / Customers‘ area and reading room
Client: Department for Construction and Environmental Protection, Canton Basel-Landschaft, represented by the Office for Building Contruction (Hochbauamt)
Engineers: Walt + Galmarini Bauingenieure AG, Zurich
Contractor: Otto + Partner AG, Liestal
Facade Planners: Emmer Pfenninger Partner AG, Muenchenstein
Design year: 2001-2007
Construction year: 2005-2007
Constructed Area: 4,705 sqm
Photographs: Hannes Henz

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Architects: Charles Pictet Architecte FAS SIA
Location: Colony, Switzerland
Collaborator: Anjéla Aubert, architecte DPLG
Engineering: ESM, Jérôme Ponti, Genève
Project Year: 2003-2005
Photographs: Francesca Giovanelli

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