Key Handover for New Building of Swiss TPH

The future headquarters of Swiss TPH has been completed on schedule after a little more than two years of construction. The first employees will start work in the new building 'Belo Horizonte' in Allschwil later this year.

Research, education and services under one roof

Swiss TPH employees and students are currently spread across seven buildings in Basel, Switzerland. In the new building in the BaseLink area in Allschwil, they will work, conduct research and study under the same roof. The multifunctional 'Belo Horizonte' building was designed by Basel architects Kunz and Mösch and offers over 700 modern workplaces and 150 laboratory spaces on an area of around 13,000 m², and covers the increased need for space due to exponential growth of the world renowned global health institute. The new building will enable new forms of interdisciplinary collaboration at Swiss TPH. On a total of six floors, employees and students will have space to work, conduct research and study in areas such as infectious and non-communicable diseases, environment, society and health, as well as health systems strengthening. In addition to work and laboratory spaces, the new building also includes lecture rooms, classrooms and a cafeteria.

Life science and innovation hub

Today's key handover was attended by 150 employees and guests, including representatives of the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), the University of Basel, the Swiss TPH Board of Governors, the R. Geigy Foundation, the building planners and architects and the municipality of Allschwil. "We are grateful, proud, and excited to take over our new building 'Belo Horizonte' today," said Jürg Utzinger, Director of Swiss TPH. "The building designed by Kunz and Mösch uniquely combines new work, laboratory and education spaces and will enable us to better fulfil our mission to improve the health and well-being of people in the Basel region, in Switzerland and worldwide."

The new building is owned by the University of Basel and was constructed by Swiss TPH within the BaseLink area of the Bürgerspital Basel in Bachgraben, Allschwil. Funding was 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.

Andrea Schenker-Wicki, Rector of the University of Basel, shared Swiss TPH's excitement: "We are delighted about the prominent neighbour we are getting with Swiss TPH's new headquarters. In addition to the Department of Biomedical Engineering, the University of Basel also has its Innovation Office in the Bachgraben. A dynamic, innovation-enthusiastic and networked ecosystem is being created here, which will ensure greater international visibility through the cooperation of all institutions."

With its move to Allschwil, Swiss TPH is sending a signal to further strengthen the attractiveness of the BaseLink site in Bachgraben. The area is rapidly developing into a dynamic hub in the field of life science, biotechnology and innovation. Over 6,000 new jobs will be created here on an area of around 50,000 m².

Inauguration ceremony next spring

The relocation of Swiss TPH will begin in the next few weeks and should be completed by March 2022. The Travel Clinic in the villa "Zur Föhre" will remain at the current location on Socinstrasse in Basel. The official inauguration of the new building with guests from business, politics, science and the media will take place on 1 April 2022.