After reading a few threads in complaints Corner about the quality of Swiss architecture, I thought it might be nice to discover some of the buildings that people really love here in Switzerland.

Here are a few of mine:

Probably my favourite building here in Lausanne is the Vaudoisse Assurance building across from Parc Milan. It is classic mid 20th century modern architecture. As you stand in front of it you can see right through it to the lake.



It was designed by Swiss architect Jean Tschumi in 1957 (who BTW is the father of Bernard Tschumi, designer of the acclaimed new Acropolis Museum in Athens).

I loved this building from the first time I saw it when I came to Lausanne and having researched it a little, I found that Tschumi also designed the Nestle headquarters in Vevey (which I also love) and the World health Organisation in Geneva.

A building I am eagerly watching go up at the moment is the new Learning Centre at EPFL. Not yet finished, from the progress I've seen, and these pics, it looks really cool.





I'd love to see some great buildings that EF members find beautiful from other parts of Switzerland. Is anyone else like me and always finds a few buildings they really love in whatever city they happen to be in?

I loved the Chapel in Mogno, in the Valle Maggia. Maybe not to everyone's tastes, but I am very happy to have made the trip

Rebuilt after a landslide a few years ago, as the locals said they didn't want to leave the village poorer for their children.

For some reason I can't add a picture from here, will try again tomorrow.

Just googled it and wow, it looks really cool.



Designed by Mario Botta, a Swiss architect from Ticino.

Cheers for adding the picture. The chapel is really small, but the design is stunning. The coolest thing about it though is the sound inside. It amplifies all the cowbells, and cuts off all the other background noise. I can't prove it from here unfortunately, I guess if anyone wants to find out there's only one option...

I spent a lot of time at Bellerive Plage over the summer and grew to love the entrance and restaurant building. When I looked into it I found it was built in the 30s during some tough economic times. No machines were allowed in the building of it so it was a big boost to employment in the region. An "economic stimulus" building.

Designed by a Lausanne architect called Marc Piccard.

Here is some more info on the building. http://www.lausanne.ch/view.asp?DocId=27852&Language=E

Nouvel's KKL Luzern. It's roof draws me in each time I see it, from whatever angle. Especially when Yo Yo Ma plays. Perfect.

A music hall on a beautiful body of water. Sounds like something from my home town.

I loved this pic of the interior. It looks like a cathedral dedicated to the worship of music.

...????

Lenzburg prison!

Globe of innovation - CERN

Ok, i know these are both technically cheating, but i think they are my faves.

The first is actually (only just) in Germany, but is Swiss Architect's Herzog and De Meuron's newest building. It's the Vitra House at Vitra headquarters in Basel. I visited 2 weeks ago and it looked like this.... (First Photo).

The second is not done by a Swiss Architect, but he does live in Zurich (as far as i know) so it was designed in Switzerland....
It's the library of the ETH University by the Spanish architect, Santiago Calatrava and is breath-taking. I went last week for a look around and almost wet myself.

Those are my fave bits of Swiss Architecture so far. (Although my Architour of Switzerland is only in its infancy as i've only been here 3 weeks!)

I'm looking forward to seeing lots of the other buildings posted on here.

Good Post

-Laurie

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Peter Zumthor's thermal bath in Vals. Stunning inside and out.

The Y shaped Nestle headquarter built in 1960 and designed by architect Jean Tschumi.

Not a great building but interesting nevertheless. The 1929 art deco tour Bel-Air Metropole in Lausanne. Lausanne's "skyscraper"!

I love the Nestle building too. Since discovering the work of Jean Tschumi (through the Vaudoisse building in Lausanne) I have been looking into his other buildings. This one, a conference centre in HEP Lausanne, looks right up my alley. Must try and get there to see it in the flesh.




A book was released this year on his life and work called "Jean Tschumi: Architecture at Full Scale". He died tragically young at 57, on the overnight train from Paris to Lausanne. His son Bernard has carried on his legacy brilliantly though.

Thanks for the contributions. It has inspired me to visit some of these great buildings.

Bernard Tschumi designed the new Flon metro and bus station in Lausanne. Much more than just a building, the whole area around Place de l'Europe now is just beautiful.

The "smurfs" house in Geneva. Behind the railway station in the quartier des Grottes.

This building makes me laugh. What's the story with it? It looks so odd in Geneva, would be more at home in Barcelona with some of Gaudi's creations.

Schtroumpfs (generic Euro-speak for the “Smurfs”)