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Client Novartis Pharma AG

Architecture RMA Architects, Mumbai/Boston

Work stages all work stages

Period 2010–2014

Surface300 m2

A green Atrium has been built in the new building of

the Virchow 16 building. It extends from the third

floor to the openings of the roof. Several passages

pass through the Atrium and connect the laboratory

area with the office area on the other side. Due to the

open construction, there is no separation between

the offices, the lounges and the green space.

The design of the green space is based on the lower

layers of the rainforest. There are, on one hand,

shadow-compatible ground coverers and, on the

other hand, climbing plants that grow upwards and

sideways towards the light. When viewed from

above, the ground is a colorful mosaic of different

plants of different heights.

The western façade of the laboratory building recei-

ves a green facade of hanging and climbing plants.

Different types of climbing plants in combination with

hanging plants form a broad color and color spect-

rum. The entire façade changes throughout the

seasons. Due to the mixture of evergreen and deci-

duous plants, structure and texture change, as well

as the flower color. This, on the one hand, influences

the appearance of the building from the outside, but

also the feeling of space in the interior spaces. The

full-length glass façade makes the plant curtain the

actual end of the office space. The development of

the plants can thus be experienced directly.

Virchow 16, Novartis Campus, Basel

Plan view Atrium

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2The Atrium

Facade greenery

Details View from laboratory