Bet­ween Na­tu­re and Ar­ti­fice, a Land­scape

Testo in italiano al seguente link 

One Roof, Lombard Odier Headquarters, Bellevue GE

The new Lombard Odier headquarters is located on the Bellevue landscape in front of Lake Geneva, north of the city centre. The building is designated by the name One Roof since it hosts the 2000 employees previously dispersed in six other sites of the city, with capacity for up to 2600. The guiding principles of the design are primarily transparency, allowing the fullest perception of the natural environment surrounding the building, and the quality of the interior spaces, fostering interaction within a cohesive institutional setting. The building is part of the Champ-du-Château masterplan, adopted in 2017, which includes a large housing complex and transport facilities such as an underground car park and a bike park. The area is defined by extensive green spaces and lies not far north of the Quartier des Nations, heart of Geneva’s international organizations, with excellent connectivity via soft mobility paths, public transport, and proximity to the airport.

One Roof is the result of a competition launched by Lombard Odier among eight local and international archi­tectural firms. The project was selected unanimously in 2017 by the jury for its contemporary architectural language, combining openness to its surroundings with elegance and innovation. The masterplan originally suggested an L-
shaped building, which served as the basis for generating the single-curved proposal. Its distinctive form is further defined by the site’s outer boundaries, as a result of the maximization of the buildable area.

At first sight, the building is defined by thin, curved slabs that cantilever outward, providing sun shading and continuous covered terraces around the structure while shielding the fully glazed façades – all treated equally, without hierarchy between fronts. The curves are not consistently superimposed; contours shift, and terraces vary in orientation and size according to adjacent programs. Slender white columns support the terraces and integrate with vertical elements such as rainwater pipes and guides for textile sun shading. Cantilevering reduces reflections on the glazing, and together with stepped edges, enhances the building’s sense of airiness. Internally, transparency frames the Grand Paysage – the lake, the mountains, and the green surroundings. Through a canyon-like central atrium aligned with the meeting rooms, natural light penetrates even the deepest parts of the building. Slabs incorporate ramps and stair connections, establishing physical and visual continuity between levels. This is particularly evident around the large auditorium, where curved stands project toward the sunken garden, becoming an outdoor theatre. In select 
areas, floor plates are cut to create multi-story spaces, such as the main entrance in the north or the collaborative spaces facing the lake. The building’s irregularities subtly evoke ­elements found in nature.

Sustainability, in all its dimensions, is integral to the design of One Roof. Environmentally, key features include locally sourced materials, recycled concrete for the raft foundation, rainwater collection for toilets and vegetation, and over 700 square meters of rooftop PV panels. Deep cantilevers protect windows from excessive direct sunlight, reducing cooling requirements, while the GeniLac system uses water from Lake Geneva for heating and cooling. The building’s location adjacent to a train station, together with comprehensive bicycle facilities and electric vehicle charging stations, forms part of a sustainable mobility concept.

Economic sustainability is achieved through flexibility – a regular column grid and vertical circulation allow versatile interior arrangements as the company evolves or accommodates multiple tenants. Social sustainability centres on well-being. Abundant natural light and panoramic views from all sides create a highly daylighted working environment, while varied opportunities for exchange and interaction enhance collaboration. The fitness centre and proximity to the lake encourage sports activities, which, combined with the variety of dining options and the garden, enrich the social dimension of the new headquarters. By bringing all of Lombard Odier’s Geneva sites together, One Roof optimises the carbon footprint of operations, strengthens organisational identity and unity, and creates an attractive work environment with abundant collaborative and outdoor spaces.

Diverse work environments balance privacy and individual focus with collaborative activities. Communal employee areas such as two double-height shared spaces and the restaurant face Lake Geneva, offering uninterrupted views that can be enjoyed by anyone in the building for meetings, work, or contemplation. These open spaces are intertwined with client-dedicated areas, including client salons spanning two floors and overlooking the lake. Like a Greek amphitheater, the daylight auditorium opens to the garden. The space accommodates more than 500 guests, with individual seating arranged in the front section, gradually transitioning to a more informal arrangement of built-in benches and integrated occasional tables at the back. This configuration allows the rear zone to function as a flexible area for informal gatherings and small meetings when the auditorium is not hosting larger events. Additionally, a fitness area provides employees with a space to recharge physically and mentally during the workday, including yoga and training. Staff members have a variety of options for meals and coffee breaks. A bistro in the entrance area, a restaurant on the first floor, and a sixth-floor cafeteria with wide terraces provide lunch options, while snack corners in the collaborative spaces serve as convenient refreshment points. Food is prepared in two kitchens by professionals who also enjoy lake views – an uncommon condition for a typically back-of-house space.

The project aims to obtain several labels later this year, covering different aspects of sustainability: Minergie-P, SNBS Platinum, the highest classification within the comprehensive Swiss Sustainable Construction Standard, and BREEAM Outstanding, the highest rating within the 
UK building assessment method. The attainment of these certifications reflects the project’s compliance with some of the most demanding environmental, social and economic assessment frameworks currently in use.

• Place Bellevue, GE 
• Client Banque Lombard Odier & Cie SA 
• Architecture Herzog & de Meuron, Basel 
• team work J. Herzog, P. de Meuron, C. Binswanger (Partner in charge), J.-C. Cadalbert (Project Director, since 2018), S. Hefti (Project Manager, until 2020), Ph. Schaefle (Project Architect, until 2019), R. Gaëtan (Associate, Project Director, until 2018), S. Bollag (Project Manager, since 2024) 
• Interior Architecture (client spaces) Rodolphe Parente Architecture & Design, Paris 
• Landscape architecture Oxalis architectes paysagistes associés Sàrl, Carouge 
• Construction management Favre & Guth SA, Les Acacias 
• Civil engineering ABT Ingenieure, Muttenz (competition); Thomas Jundt, Civil engineers, Genève (Concept phase); Nicolas Fehlmann Ingénieurs Conseils SA, Morges (Executive Phase) 
• MEP Engineering SRG engineering, Genève 
• Building physics Brücker+Ernst, Luzern 
• Acoustic Batj, Genève; Acouconsult Sàrl, Genève; Kahle Acoustics, Elsene (BE) (Consulting for performing art buildings) 
• Facade Engineering Werner Sobek AG, Stuttgard 
• Lighting design Licht Kunst Licht AG, Berlin 
• Photography Maris Mezulis, Paris 
• Fire safety Gruner AG, Basel (competition), Ignis Salutem, St-Légier 
• Timeline competition 2017  project 2017-2025 
• Energy planning Transsolar Energietechnik Sagl, Tobias Fiedler, Stuttgard 
• Intervention and building type new construction