Talia Kunszt, Jonathan Titschack & Victoria Vulliety

The HCI is strategically positioned at the crossroads of the Hönggerberg campus. We want to take advantage of this very good situation and use it as a welcome building. Our project redefines its ground and first floors as a mediator between the building and its environment, using the architectural column grid as a conceptual backbone.

Key issues addressed are the very hermetic façade, the fragmented access and circulation caused by the private character of the current functions, and the absence of a proper ground floor and community sense. We introduce both internal and external transformations. Internally, the ground floor is reimagined as a rassembleur, hosting only public functions and welcoming external visitors anytime: The Campus info, a community kitchen, and a foyer. Spiral stairs emphasize and provide public access to the Mensa and to a new conference and events’ room on the upper floors. Externally, the building makes a big step towards the campus through the extension of the architectural grid, mainly materialized in the form of a pergola. The public character of the façade is solved through an opening window system, allowing the ground floor to be entirely open and public. The HCI therefore will be welcoming everyone.