Swatch inaugurates its new headquarters in Biel.
One of the world’s largest timber structures, designed by the Japanese star architect Shigeru Ban. Heralding a new chapter in the history of the brand, this building defies current conventions, just like the watches that are created there. The shimmering, curved silhouette of the new Swatch building extends over a total length of 240 meters and a width of 35 meters. At its highest point, the façade measures 27 meters. The unusual design breaks with the conventions of classic office building architecture and blends harmoniously into the urban environment. The building’s forms awaken the imagination – like a work of art, the interpretation lies in the eye of the beholder. The vaulted façade with an area of over 11,000 m² rises gently towards the entrance and transitions to the Cité du Temps. Both exterior and interior of the building are interspersed with a variety of leitmotifs, with curved shapes, colors and transparency, as well as with the unusual use of classic materials and building elements.
Inside the building, 25,000 m² of floor space is spread over five floors for all departments of Swatch International and Swatch Switzerland. The surface area of the four upper floors decreases successively from floor to floor, while galleries with glass balustrades provide a view of the lower floors.
Use of the INDUSILENT transfer grille
The standard grille consits of a plenum box with integrated sound attenuation and is suitable for flush installation in narrow partition walls. It has a low pressure drop and a high sound attenuation value Rw.
