The office high-rise in brief:
Functions

1900 workplaces
Auditorium (500 seats)
Cafeteria
Communication zones

Technical data and costs

41 storeys, 178 m high
76’000 m2 floor space
Costs: approx. 550 million Swiss francs
Energy efficiency: Swiss Minergie standard
Earthquake-resistant construction

Timeline

Official processes and demolition of old building: 2010/2011
Scheduled start on site: 2012
Scheduled completion: 2015


About site development at Roche
Current site development at Roche Basel continues to be based on a planning strategy that guarantees maximum flexibility and allows the company to adapt to its ever-changing needs. The strategy aims to bring together the global and corporate functions on the site area south of Grenzacherstrasse, while the infrastructure-intensive research, development and production units will be located on the area north of the road. Apart from meeting operational requirements, Roche attaches top priority, as with all its new-build schemes, to upholding the high standards of industrial architecture for which it is renowned.

http://www.baunetz.de/img/25419259_591e1ab1b7.jpeg
http://www.stadtfragen.ch/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/mob4353_1292420779.jpg
http://www.blogarchiv.hochparterre.ch/files/images/2009/12/mob2597_1261069910.jpg

Other design:

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/1618HerzogAndDeMeuronWriggleIntoBasel_pic1.jpg


http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/1618HerzogAndDeMeuronWriggleIntoBasel_pic2.jpg


Basel in Switzerland could soon be getting its tallest addition to its skyline to date.

Named the Roche Tower, it is the work of Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron who are also responsible for the Beijing National Stadium better known as the Olympic bird nest in China, as well as the Tate Modern in London.

Located on a commanding position next to the River Rhine, the tower sports the usual glass facades the tower has a zoomorphic appearance of wiggly worm and will stand at 154 metres.

Far from being just another glass structure on a skyline, the architects have managed to create an original and unique design bound to get appreciative ooohhs and ahhhs.

The cylindrically shaped building uses a mix of pyramid like shaping and helixes which move in opposite direction to each other which form a sculptural look.

The resultant form which has strong, definitive, curved lines shows a new face from every direction ensuring passers-by don�t get bored of it to quickly.

The tower will provide 75,000m² of grade A office space where the headquarters of Roche Pharmacueticals will be relocated. The plan is to redevelop the current building into a new office tower to house some 2,400 employees who are currently spread out into various buildings and to improve the laboratory facilities.

The plans where originally released back in 2006 but rumours are surfacing that the tower may well gain approval in the very near future allowing the company to stick to their construction dates of starting in 2008 and being up and running by 2011, as the architects have worked closely with city planning officials it should get the go ahead.

The revamp will however carry quite a hefty price tag of 800 million Krona but will of course mean the company can have workers under one roof rather then scattered about.

is a beautiful skyscrapers

when I was in switzerland last week, I heard on swiss radio that the tower was approved

when I was in switzerland last week, I heard on swiss radio that the tower was approved

did you remember wich Radio it was?


Here some more Pics:


http://aycu10.webshots.com/image/39769/2000743605164373314_rs.jpg

http://aycu17.webshots.com/image/39456/2000793436219083047_rs.jpg

http://aycu30.webshots.com/image/36429/2000762460994748607_rs.jpg

http://aycu38.webshots.com/image/39957/2000792024069702824_rs.jpg

http://aycu15.webshots.com/image/39814/2000745282297269213_rs.jpg

http://aycu09.webshots.com/image/39528/2000744946473823681_rs.jpg

Please note that only picture two of my posting is showing a rendering of the tower with its final height.

I wasn't able to verify HD's post myself. I do believe you, HD, but I want to be sure that there is nothing that could endanger the project anymore. If it is true then Roche could even get back to 170 m! That would be great news. It also fits to the updated dates I've found. They are now talking about the construction time from 2009 to 2011.

Finally I got an image of the building's interior:
http://www.designbuild-network.com/projects/roche-tower/images/4-roche-tower.jpg

Absolutely stunning! Bravo!

I don't remember, which radio station it was. probably drs 1. but if you say, there was no further news about this, I might be wrong. maybe it was about another tower - they were talking about the next tallest in switzerland. I thought it was the roche building.

the architecture is certainly very futuristic, it looks very interesting and could be a new landmark for Basel when its finished. Overally the design is good but IMO the tower is a little bit too "fat", it could be more slim IMO, but still it's a great looking building, it should definetily get built!

I don't remember, which radio station it was. probably drs 1. but if you say, there was no further news about this, I might be wrong. maybe it was about another tower - they were talking about the next tallest in switzerland. I thought it was the roche building.

Ok, then it must have been the Prime Tower in Zurich I mentioned in my first post. Construction started some weeks ago.


the architecture is certainly very futuristic, it looks very interesting and could be a new landmark for Basel when its finished. Overally the design is good but IMO the tower is a little bit too "fat", it could be more slim IMO, but still it's a great looking building, it should definetily get built!

I agree to what you say about the tower's thickness but after all I even prefer the fattier chopped version. It would be interesting to see the chopped rendering stretched to 170m (the maximum height allowed in this zone).

Another interesting detail is that the government restricts the maximum height and the maximum gross floor area. E.g. at the moment Roche is not allowed to build another tall building – let's say 80m – without demolishing some other buildings. It won't be a problem in the years to come anyway since they will remove the taller building (62m) right next to the Bau 1 as far as I know.

Here (http://www.roche.com/med_mbareal.pdf) you'll find a German PDF about the whole Roche area including some more pictures and illustrations.


This is an image of a production facility on the other side of the street:

http://www.roche.ch/rochech_sitebasel.jpg


Here are two renderings of the Bau 97 that will be built on the other side of the area:

http://www.kiwi.ch/main/Referenzen/Industrie/Roche-Bau97-01.gif

http://www.kiwi.ch/main/Referenzen/Industrie/Roche-Bau97-02.gif

no, it was about a tower in basel ...

anyway, next time I listen more carefully to the news, I promise ;)

Amazing tower. really like the shape of it!

stunning, It's creative.


can u tell me any reason why the government resticts the height so strictly there?

Another interesting detail is that the government restricts the maximum height and the maximum gross floor area. E.g. at the moment Roche is not allowed to build another tall building – let's say 80m – without demolishing some other buildings. It won't be a problem in the years to come anyway since they will remove the taller building (62m) right next to the Bau 1 as far as I know.

can u tell me any reason why the government resticts the height so strictly there?

The restrictions are not only there! This is a problem in whole Switzerland!
Every land area in Switzerland belongs to a certain "zone"! Where the government is allowing a certain height and a certain maximum of gross floor! The idea behind this is that the government can control the development! But it certainly makes it very complicated for investors and building companies! Especially skyscrapers are only allowed in very few areas in Switzerland! The government often has to change the "zone" if a company what's to bulid a high rise!

very nice :)

wow!!! that's beautiful!

Neat highrise with an awesome design. The riverfront's gonna look good.

I thought I had seen enough twisting structures, but I kinda like this one :)

WOW!
King-Krunch - I thought I had seen enough twisting structures [2]

no, it was about a tower in basel ...

anyway, next time I listen more carefully to the news, I promise ;)

Do you remember the day, and the daytime?

the tower was approved and will be built, but that is not new and was in the media some time ago as HD mentioned before....
the tower from an other perspective:
http://img27.picoodle.com/img/img27/3/8/7/rafael162/f_24315745263m_9f481d1.jpg

Sweet! Great addition to Basels skyline!

26th Aug 2008

Demolition of the Bau97 to make space for the new tower

Thanks to Don Calo from the swiss sub-forum; he let me post his pics here
I live close to Basel, so i will update from time to time too :)

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/AbbruchFE1.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/AbbruchFE2.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/AbbruchFE3.jpg

.

That's pretty cool.

I heard the tower is supposed to symbolize a double-helix. regarding the fact that Roche is doing pharmaceuticals, that would make sense

^^ The pictures from the 26th of August are unfortunately not from the construction site of the new tower! Roche is building there a new research and development building called Bau 97! It will cost 250 Million Swiss Franks and the architects are also Herzog & de Meuron. It is expected that Roche will start to build the tower next year.

Update: At the Press Conference hold today at Roche headquarters in Basel. Herog&DeMeuron (also from Basel), showed the plans for the new skyscraper! The new height will be 175m, instead of 154 planned at the beginning! Construction beginning is planned for 2012!

http://download.roche.com/selection/20091217/preview/p_0002.jpg

http://download.roche.com/selection/20091217/preview/p_0003.jpg

http://download.roche.com/selection/20091217/preview/p_0004.jpg

http://download.roche.com/selection/20091217/preview/p_0005.jpg

http://files.newsnetz.ch/story/3/0/5/30577095/25/teaserbreit.jpg

http://download.roche.com/selection/20091217/preview/p_0003.jpg

Wait, so the project has been redesigned and is not starting for three years ?

they already wanted to start in 2010, but the old projekt was too expensive an there were some other problems...

so they asked H&DM to design a new tower

The old design was so much better. :ohno:

^^ that's true, but better this 175m skyscraper, than the other design, which will never be built... ;)

they already wanted to start in 2010, but the old projekt was too expensive an there were some other problems...

so they asked H&DM to design a new tower

Okay, thanks.

Here's the official media release: http://www.roche.com/media/media_releases/med-cor-2009-12-17.htm

I must say I liked the old project better, too. But I'm also glad that it will finally be 175m tall instead of 154m! :)

More pictures:

http://download.roche.com/selection/20091217/preview/p_0001.jpg

http://www.cadplan.ch/1.jpg

http://www.cadplan.ch/2.jpg

http://www.cadplan.ch/3.jpg

http://www.cadplan.ch/4.jpg


Cheers, kriminalTANGO :cheers:

uhmmm, i expected something better from H&D ...
eventough it was clear that the new design will be more simple.

I saw the pic in the newspaper today and my first thought was:
"Like an 80's-90's style hotel tower from Bangkok".

Luckily Lörrach's new Hotel project will look much better IMO :D

.

I went to Basel today, and to read the newspapers' headline "Roche will build 175m highrise" was a double surprise! :) First, I didn't expect another serious proposal in 2009 anymore, and second, I'd have bet some Franken, that the next one would be smaller, in the range of the Messeturm (105m) only maybe.

But I agree: the double-helix was more appealing, and in this case "the higher, the better" isn't true, IMO. This design with the irregular setbacks on one side doesn't fancy me by now. And the horizontal accentuation of the white parts of the facade with set back windows looks like outdated "70's" to me, so I hope Herzog & de Meuron are going to improve it a little.

By the way, there are huge full-size renderings (over 8 MB each):
http://download.roche.com/selection/20091217/original/0001.jpg
http://download.roche.com/selection/20091217/original/0002.jpg
http://download.roche.com/selection/20091217/original/0003.jpg
http://download.roche.com/selection/20091217/original/0004.jpg
http://download.roche.com/selection/20091217/original/0005.jpg

Delete.

Maybe we should update the thread title:

BASEL | Roche – Bau 1 | 175m | 41 fl | Pro :cheers2:

Does anyone have any pictures of the site at the moment and/or pictures of the previous building (has it been demolished yet?)?

The previous building (Building 15, I guess) is still standing. Its demolition will be in 2010/11. It's this one: http://maps.google.ch/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Basel,+Basel-Stadt&t=k&layer=c&cbll=47.559054,7.607142&panoid=E2e8czScCh-EQ0ULiirMgg&cbp=12,131.14,,0,-13.46&ll=47.559036,7.606895&spn=0,359.986503&z=16

Timeline
Official processes and demolition of old building: 2010/2011
Scheduled start on site: 2012
Scheduled completion: 2015
http://www.roche.com/media/media_releases/med-cor-2009-12-17.htm

Very nice and modern. :)

Delete.

according to "leo.org" z.G gibts diese verdammte website, you should call it " allotment garden"..... in those areas people can rent a garden, and do whatewer he wants (nearly evrth.) it's smth.that at lot of citizens in Basel appreciate, so they have a feeling of nature in the middle of the city!

I'm wondering if this tower is to tall for Basel? How well will it fit into the surrounding neighborhood?

I'm wondering if this tower is to tall for Basel? How well will it fit into the surrounding neighborhood?

the new height of 175 Meters is quite a lot, but I hope they're gonna build a lot of skyscrapers in Basel in the future because there is a lack of building land, and the only rational solution is to build higher buildings

delete.

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/Bau1Oktober2010small.jpg
This is the site where they will build the Roche tower, the building in the back will remain. At the moment they are preparing the building to tear it down (removal of the laboratory facilities).

New Visualisation of the Roche Tower, they slightly changed the design, as for example brighter windows. The construction should start next year.

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/MittlereBrckeAnsicht.jpg
View from the middle bridge

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/WettsteinbrckeAnsicht.jpg
View from the Wettstein bridge

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/GrossbaselRheinuferAnsicht.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/GrenzacherstrasseAnsicht.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/Basis.jpg

Architects: Herzog & de Meuron

It's great that they are moving next year. :cheers:

Approved

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/Bau1Februar2011.jpg
This is the area where Roche will build it's new office tower. The old buildings have been almost completely demolished. In the near future this bulidng should be under construction.

Excavation of Bau 1 site will start in March - tower will be around 178m,
according to www.badische-zeitung.de (http://www.badische-zeitung.de/basel/der-weg-fuers-roche-hochhaus-ist-frei--41805060.html) of 26/February 2011 (in German).

A compendium there tells:

"Das Hochhaus wird 178 Meter hoch. Es bietet verteilt auf 41 Stockwerke rund 2000 Arbeitsplätze, ein Auditorium mit 500 Plätzen, ein Personalrestaurant mit Cafeteria sowie Konferenzräume und Sitzungszimmer. Die Bruttogeschossfläche beträgt 71 900 Quadratmeter, der Rohbau soll im April 2012 beginnen, der Bezug ist für Ende 2015 geplant."

My translation:
"The highrise is going to be 178m tall. It will offer 2000 workplaces, spread over 41 floors, a 500-seat auditorium, a personal restaurant with cafeteria plus conference rooms. The gross floor-space adds up to 71.900 square meters, the fabric is to be started in April 2012, handover is planned for end of 2015."

Strangely, the printed Badische Zeitung of today gives a height of only 175m... but the 154m of the thread title must be outdated IMO! :)

F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, 25.02.2011:

Roche gets green light to build new office high-rise

Roche announced today that it has received the planning permission from the City of Basel Building Inspectorate for Building 1, its new office high-rise. The company has thus been given the green light for construction of the new building. The new office high-rise will enable Roche to bring together at its site in Grenzacherstrasse some 2,000 employees whose offices are currently spread across the city of Basel.

“We are delighted that we now have the go-ahead to start construction”, said Matthias M. Baltisberger, Head of Roche’s Basel site. “Building 1 is a clear commitment of Roche to the Basel site as its corporate headquarters. We will create attractive workplaces that are conducive to dialogue and exchange, and offer a top-quality infrastructure to our employees.”

Excavation work on the foundation pit will start in Grenzacherstrasse in March 2011, while shell construction will take place between 2012 and the end of 2014. Interior fit-out work will take place simultaneously, starting in 2013. It is planned to move into the building at the end of 2015.

Release (http://www.roche.ch/en/informationen/med-ch-2011-02-25.htm) | Fact Sheet (http://www.roche.ch/en/110225_factsheet_baubewilligung_bau1.pdf) | Image Gallery (http://download.roche.com/selection/2011bau1/)

Well, i don`t know if I like this building or not...
The first version was awsome. But this :-/

Well we will see when its finished!

Nice height for Basel :)

But the design, hmm I dont know yet...

Update

Hier noch Pic's der Baugrube aus dem 16.Stock vom Bau52:http://files.struband.net/skyscrapercity/bau1_aushub_1.jpghttp://files.struband.net/skyscrapercity/bau1_aushub_2.jpg

Deleted.

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/BaugrubeRoche11111.jpg
The excavation pit for the new Roche Tower is almost finished, they will start to build the base in the beginning of next year.
Source: www.basellandschaftlichezeitung.ch (http://www.basellandschaftlichezeitung.ch/baselland/basel-stadt/die-grube-des-neuen-roche-turms-ist-ausgehoben-115409720)

any news/improvements for this tower?
I must say the old design was simply stunning! but its a great addition to Basel's skyline.

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Aerial%20view/RocheBau1Baugrube201145GradAnsicht.jpg
Source: google maps (http://maps.google.de/maps?q=Grenzacherstrasse,+Basel,+Schweiz&hl=de&ll=47.558454,7.607979&spn=0.005145,0.006539&sll=51.151786,10.415039&sspn=27.825318,53.569336&oq=Grenzacherst&hnear=Grenzacherstrasse,+Basel,+Schweiz&t=h&deg=180&z=18)

The old design was so much better

By Hausmeister

Baugrube im Januar 2012

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/5256/rochejanuar122.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/Baugrube1.jpg
The excavation pit is 20 meter deep. The Roche Tower will be the tallest high-rise in Switzerland

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/Baugrube2.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/Baugrube3.jpg
The nearby river Rhein makes in necessary to secure the excavation pit also from Water pressure from the river.

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/Baugrube4.jpg
The Tower should withstand an earthquake of 6.9 on the Richter scale.

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/Baugrube5.jpg
The entrance to the construction site is very narrow.

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/ZeitplanBau1.jpg
Unfortunately the timetable is only available in german until now. But I guess you can still figure it out.

Source: www.bazonline.ch (http://bazonline.ch/basel/stadt/Bald-geht-es-aufwaerts-mit-dem-RocheTurm/story/16044775)

U/C

http://s7.directupload.net/images/120329/5ziokwtx.jpg (http://www.directupload.net)

http://s14.directupload.net/images/120329/arvjpopw.jpg (http://www.directupload.net)

http://s7.directupload.net/images/120329/xm5cxx4n.jpg (http://www.directupload.net)

Visualisazion of the Roche Tower by night
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/RocheBau1NightVis.jpg

Beautiful tower!! This will be a huge change for the skyline.

interesting architecture and an enrichment for the skyline

Roche is about to realize the biggest building project in its 115 year history. The office tower in Basel will be 178 meters high and surmount the Zürich Prime Tower, the currently highest building in Switzerland, by 52 meters.


What matters about «Bau 1» is not records but function, said President of the Board Franz Humer during the laying of the foundation stone on Wednesday. The building will cost CHF550 million and will house over 2000 workers, who are currently spread all over Basel, in its 42 floors. Employees from the sectors research, development, production and marketing will work in the new building.

The structural work will be finished in December 2014 and the tower ready in the second half of 2015. The Basel star architects Herzog & de Meuron designed the «Bau 1». This is their fourth project for Roche.

Roche counts the investment as a sign of confidence in Basel, where the pharma and diagnostics group employs around 9000 of its 80'000 employees worldwide. Humer is convinced that Switzerland will remain one of the best spots for science and innovation, as long as the currently existing advantages continue to be developed.

Source: www.bazonline.ch (http://bazonline.ch/english-corner/standard/Roche-lays-foundation-stone-for-highest-building-in-Switzerland/story/27619094)

Some pictures:
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/BaugrubeRoche0512.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/Grundsteinlegung2090512.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/Grundsteinlegung_090512.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/IMG_6583RocheHQ.jpg
The view from the river towards the Headquarter of Roche, with the construction side directly behind this building

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/Roche_Turm_Basel_Visu_klein.jpg

The previous design was so much better... :(

agree

not sure if i said it b4...

i think the design would perfectly fit into Bangkok's skyline
and there it would be "nothing special"

but i'm happy about any highrise in Basel, and i already got some vantage points
in mind, at german side, to get good shots when it finally rise above ground :-)

btw, so far my fav one is the tower next to St.Jacob Stadium,
but i wish it was built at least twice as high.

Update :

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/RocheHochhaus11012.jpg
Von der Strasse ist noch nichts zu erkennen


http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/ArmierungsarbeitenJuni12.jpg
Es gibt jedoch eine Fotodokumentation welche bei der Grenzacherstrasse gleich neben der Baustelle aufgehängt ist.

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/Betnoierarbeiten3UGJuly12.jpg
Bald dürfte nun das EG erstellt werden.

Finally the core is overground:

On February 9th, 2013 by Chrizz,
posted here on the Swiss Forum (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=388532&page=33):

http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o657/Chrizz89/P1000709_zps630703ed.jpg

http://i1336.photobucket.com/albums/o657/Chrizz89/P1000707_zpsf9432aef.jpg

cool, i am curious how the facade will look like later :)

update (sory, only cellphone snapshots)

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-CAzQaCSb0JE/UUjD5LaPqfI/AAAAAAAAk_I/0Z_zjuMQOkg/s1078/2013+-+3

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-vaJJewc3_1g/UUjD5IB3R_I/AAAAAAAAk-o/buK_FLdU7mM/s1078/IMAG6235.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ezs5-wYwtXA/UUjD5BwrzkI/AAAAAAAAk-s/yTCUyvWBMqU/s867/IMAG6229.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-XCtSnsGKNlA/UUjD5Fj2biI/AAAAAAAAk-g/sYVsXD1jUFY/s867/IMAG6230.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-RFa1H7Dbteo/UUjD5EMVabI/AAAAAAAAk-k/PldMjO3ZsJc/s783/IMAG6231.jpg

Wow, excellent design!

Since the stated goal of concentrating the various offices leased around the city will not be achieved by the building there is hope that when they finish this one they will build a few smaller ones in addition. I do hope for a interesting ensemble.

See these two slides from Jaques Herzog (at at talk)
http://goo.gl/kfuAc
http://goo.gl/5pGkU

construction update, here you can see the round stairs

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/Bau_1_uc_zpsb9919ee2.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x251/face_photo_2007/Roche%20Tower/Bau_1_uc2_zpsb514a9d3.jpg
Source: http://wh-p.de/de/Projekte/chronologie/ab-2012/roche-bau-1