Groundbreaking Ceremony for the New Building of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute

By the end of 2021, Swiss TPH employees and students, who are currently spread across seven buildings near Socinstrasse in Basel, will be able to work, conduct research and study under the same roof. "Belo Horizonte" (floor area: 19,826 m2, floor space: 13,376 m2) was designed by Basel architects Kunz und Mösch. The building offers 725 workplaces and over 150 laboratory spaces as well as auditoriums, classrooms and a cafeteria.

Today's 120 guests, which included politicians, industry representatives and researchers, were addressed by Nicole Nüssli-Kaiser (Mayor of Allschwil), Monica Gschwind (President of the government council of Basel-Landschaft), Marcel Tanner (President of the R. Geigy Foundation) and Jürg Utzinger (Director of Swiss TPH). Among the guests were Conradin Cramer, Member of the Government of the Canton of Basel-Stadt, and Andrea Schenker-Wicki, Rector of the University of Basel.

"We are very much looking forward to our new home in Allschwil," said Jürg Utzinger, Director of Swiss TPH. "The new building brings together work, laboratory and education spaces in a unique way that will enable us to even better fulfil our mandate to improve the health of people in the Basel region, Switzerland and worldwide."

The new building belongs to the University of Basel, is being constructed by Swiss TPH and is a part of the BaseLink area of the Bürgerspital Basel in Bachgraben, Allschwil. Funding is provided by a credit guarantee from the cantons of Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft, investment contributions from the Swiss government, Swiss TPH's own funds and support from the R. Geigy Foundation.

Beat Ammann, Director of the Bürgerspital Basel, shared in the excitement of Swiss TPH: "With today's groundbreaking ceremony, Swiss TPH begins construction of a fantastic building. This marks the start of a series of distinctive buildings that will shape the image of the BaseLink area and create a space where education, research, science and entrepreneurship can thrive."

Swiss TPH plans to relocate to its new headquarters at the end of 2021. The Swiss TPH Travel Clinic and its vaccination services will remain at the "Zur Föhre" Villa at the current location at Socinstrasse in Basel.

Media Contact

Stefan Mörgeli, Project Leader New Building "Belo Horizonte", Swiss TPH, Tel. 061 284 8320, stefan.moergeli@swisstph.ch

Sabina Beatrice-Matter, Head of Communications, Swiss TPH, Tel. 061 284 8364, Mob. 079 737 9158, sabina.beatrice@swisstph.ch