Albert Hatt, Joël Keller & Yvonne Ly

The HIT, designed by Baumschlager Eberle, immediately stands out for its travertine facade and introverted character. This prompted us to explore ways to make it more inviting to the public, integrating it with the campus and creating a lively atrium. Through our research, we discovered that the office spaces within the building are underutilized, which allows us to shrink these areas by up to 40%. This reduction allows us to rethink HIT as a public interior with an open ground floor and atrium, offering views and relations across and up the volume. A second entrance from the Flora Ruchat-Roncati garden leading to a study- café will provide a welcoming environment for students. Alongside it, flexible spaces for startups and students will offer room for experiment and exchange.

Two new auditoriums on the outer perimeter of the building, will create a more welcoming gesture towards Affoltern. Multiple uses, including lectures, theatre plays, panel discussions and study spaces will bring an intensified offer for different users at different times, enhanced by the potential of multiple entrances. The central atrium will link all that happens in the building, while hosting exhibitions, concerts and fostering interdisciplinary interaction.

Our interventions aim to interlace the HIT anew with the campus, transforming it to an open, versatile space for the whole community.