News

24 January 2025, Windisch Kunzareal on Swiss-architects.com
“Studio Gugger has completed the transformation of the Kunzareal in Windisch from an industrial area to an urban quarter with a residential and studio building. Harald Schmidt and Harry Gugger present the timber hybrid building.”
November 7th, 2024 International Wood Architecture Conference, Tallinn
For the 18th time the Wood Architecture Conference in Tallinn offers the chance to get to know exceptional wood architecture projects.
Harald Schmidt, project leader of the housing estate Hirtenweg from Studio Gugger, will give a presentation on the topic "Adjusted timber construction methods". It is possible to participate in the event physically on site or online.
Here you find more information about the event: International Wood Architecture Conference

October 25th, 2024, 1st prize Innovationspreis Holz 2024
For the first time, Lignum Region Basel is awarding the Innovationspreis Holz among the local timber construction projects submitted to the Prix Lignum.
With criteria on sustainability, innovation and quality judged by local experts, outstanding timber constructions are awarded.
The project Siedlung Hirtenweg was awarded the prestigious 1st prize. The expert jury honoured the outstanding use of wood as a building material in structural engineering as well as the innovative approach that promotes modern building culture in a creative and technological way.
We are proud to have made an exceptional contribution to the timber construction culture with our project Siedlung Hirtenweg.
Many thanks to all those involved in the project and to the jury for this remarkable award.
Further details about the Innovationspreis Holz 2024 can be found here: Innovationspreis Holz

October 2024, Tiny Hotels at Silo Basel
Tiny Hotels and Lodgings: Hotels for really every need
"For the 2025 spring season, Switzerland Tourism, in professional collaboration with BienenSchweiz, is looking for unusual and fresh designs for accommodation that fulfil the needs of even the smallest guests. We are talking about bee and insect hotels, as well as bird and hedgehog houses. The nine most exciting ideas will be realised in selected top hotels in the Swiss hotel industry and integrated into the communication of the international Hotel Campaign 2025. And you can take part too! You can find all the information on how, when and why on this page.
The following nine renowned hotels will each receive one of the winning designs and realise it structurally. All of these hotels offer sufficient surrounding space and green areas so that the resulting bee and insect hotels can be perfectly embedded. Please familiarise yourself with the hotels and the respective cooperations before designing."

October 2024, Harry Gugger in the jury of the Holcim Awards
Harry Gugger acts as jury member for the Holcim Awards North America 2025.
He strongly recommends the participation in this most pestigous award for sustainable construction to all who are engaged in furthering sustainable construction and have groundbreaking projects in the making to submit.

October 15th, 2024, "Vers une Umbaukultur"
Conference and round table - Towards a Renovation Culture
Tomorrow, Tuesday 15 October at 6 pm, don't miss the conference organised as part of the SAY 23 exhibition! This event will give you the opportunity to explore various issues relating to architectural transformation - a theme featured in the Swiss Architecture Yearbook and one of the central themes of the HEIA-FR architecture program. You'll be able to discover projects by Harry Gugger, Sébastien Chaperon and Simon Chessex, and follow a discussion moderated by Isabel Concheiro Guisán.
Info:
L'Atelier
Place Notre-Dame 16, 1700 Fribourg
18:00 – 19:30
link

October 2024, Windisch Kunzareal Completed!
We are happy to share the new photos of the recently completed Windisch Kunzareal project.
Congratulations to all the team and all the people involved!

September 23rd, 2024, Birsfelden says yes to a new village centre

September 23rd, 2024, Yes for the new Zentrum Birsfelden!
On 23rd of September 2024, the municipal assembly will vote on a new proposal for the development of Birsfelden’s town center.
This district plan is the result of a second attempt after a more densely populated town center project was rejected in a narrow referendum in 2022.
The basis for the present project was a comprehensive workshop process with representatives of the Birsfelden population, the school and youth facilities located on the site, the municipal administration and a panel of experts.
In close collaboration with Westpol Landschaftsarchitekten, a sequence of lively urban spaces and a mosaic of different landscape qualities for a wide range of uses was created on the basis of the workshop findings.
Volumetrically related solitary buildings structure the center area and offer new living space in an excellently developed location. The central square is invitingly designed with a public canopy, a large fountain and groups of trees. This will allow it to fulfill its function as a central, collective place and face of the municipality.
You can find more information here.
We hope for a positive outcome to the vote on September 23!

September 20th, 2024, Prix Lignum award
We are honoured to have received two Prix Lignum 2024 in recognition for innovative, high-quality and forward-looking use in timber construction.
Every three years, the established Prix Lignum competition looks for the best new timber projects in Switzerland - from furniture and interior fittings to entire housing estates in timber construction. This year, the competition counted 583 submissions in two categories of timber construction and carpentry.
The independent, interdisciplinary jury selected 5 projects from each of the 5 major regions of Switzerland to qualify for the national awards.
The Medisuisse headquarters was awarded the Prix Lignum East Region and the Hirtenweg housing estate received the Prix Lignum North Region.
Many thanks to the jury for the awards and to everyone involved in the projects for the successful collaborations.
Further details about the Prix Lignum can be found here:
link