Exemplo_Visitor Centre_Swiss Ornithological Institute_Sempach, Suiça

© Photos by Alexander Jaquemet

Visitor Centre at the Swiss Ornithological Institute

Location: Sempach, Switzerland

Area: 2060 m²

Year: 2010-2015

Architects: :mlzd

Project Team:Claude Marbach, Julia Wurst, Pat Tanner, Daniele Di Giacinto, Roman Lehmann, Amelie Braun, Katharina Kleczka, Marlies Rosenberger, Regina Tadorian, Johannes Weisser, Samuel Wespe, Miriam Zenk

Construction Managment: kunzarchitekten ag, Sursee

Construction Engineer (Solid): WAM Planer und Ingenieure AG, Bern

Construction Engineer (Wood): Pirmin Jung Ingenieure für Holzbau AG, Rain

Landscape Architect: Fontana Landschaftsarchitektur GmbH, Basel

Exhibition Designer: Steiner Sarnen Schweiz AG, Sarnen

Rammed Earth: LEHM TON ERDE Baukunst GmbH, A - Schlins

Text description provided by the architects.

The new Visitor Centre at the Swiss Ornithological Ins- titute has been built on the banks of Sempachersee. Its function is to provide the public with more information about the work of the Ornithological Institute and about bird life in Switzerland.

The compact, polygon structures have been positioned so that they interact with the countryside and the lake. One part of the building houses the extremely flexible exhibition hall. The area between the buildings has been made into a spacious foyer, from where there is access to all parts of the exhibition.

The compact, polygon structures have been positioned so that they interact with the countryside and the lake. One part of the building houses the extremely flexible exhibition hall. The area between the buildings has been made into a spacious foyer, from where there is access to all parts of the exhibition.

The showcase aviary at the end of the foyer offers a gradual, fleeting transition between the inside and outside worlds. The building’s self-supporting outer shell is comprised of solid walls made of rammed earth.

With the addition of simple timber constructions, they give the Visitor Centre, which satisfies the “Minergie-P-eco” standard, its characteristic appearance and do justice to the sustainability concept.

Ground floor plan

At the 2017 'European Museum of the Year Award', the visitor center received the special award for the most sustainable project. The 'EMYA' is awarded by the Council of Europe and has been awarded annually since 1977.

For more information about this project visit :mlzd website