Hortus – A forward-thinking timber office building

The Hortus office building in Allschwil raises the environmental bar for future building projects. Following designs by Herzog & de Meuron architects and planning by the engineers at ZPF, Blumer Lehmann is creating the building using timber and other natural materials.

The priority for the client, SENN, is to think ahead in terms of the environment and set new standards. With around 10,000 m² of usable space, the aim is for the building to produce surplus energy and to offset the embodied energy used for its construction within 30 years.

The route to this climate-friendly building started with the material and took into consideration construction and volume. A love for the local area also delivers the leitmotif for this sophisticated project. For example, earth and wood from the region are used to create wood-clay composite ceilings. Recycled paper is intended as another natural material for the façade. Energy supply is maximised using photovoltaics. And details as to how every single component can be reused at a later date are specified right at the start.

Hortus is due to open its doors in 2025, offering digital and tech companies in particular a high-quality, welcoming working environment with a healthy indoor climate – a place where they can connect with each other and with the life sciences sector located nearby.