Brutalist WHO headquarters extension under construction in Geneva
Visit the construction site of the ongoing extension project at the World Health Organisation headquarters in Geneva, designed by architects Berrel Berrel Kräutler; a project that places the landscape at the forefront, while paying tribute to WHO's modernist, Jean Tschumi-designed, original office building
![WHO offices renovation](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/iiHuNm4Jj8NrwG7R7SKXc3-415-80.jpg)
To reach the new addition of the World Health Organisation (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, visitors will need to cross through the entrance of the organisation's existing, historic building at the end of Appia Avenue. The glazed entrance lobby of the original structure, defined by an intricate structural system on which the tall, pre-stressed concrete volume lies, is suggestive of the building’s modernist value amd brutalist architecture and contributes to the dialogue between old and new. Surrounded by woodland and designed by Jean Tschumi (yet developed posthumously by Pierre Bonnard in 1966), the majestic WHO office building is now being refreshed with an extension by Swiss architecture firm Berrel Berrel Kräutler.
The new office building connects to the existing one via a new, underground, elongated plinth – envisioned as the social heart, the ‘agora', of the entire campus. This gesture further articulates the overall project's relationship with nature. On ground level, the plinth base becomes a terrace that provides ample vantage points for taking in the surrounding landscape; on the lower ground, it contains a courtyard garden that links and organises the several, different spaces around it.
An aerial view of the original building by Tschumi/Bonnard (1949-66) from the archives. The new structure now rises on the lower left corner of the photograph
A green atrium at the core of the new building – which spans its entire height and has been recently completed – further nurtures the relationship between inside and outside, and adds to the design's energy-efficient performance. Building on the socially-minded, open-plan office culture of the existing headquarters, the atrium also provides a place for informal gatherings and expresses the formal flexibility underpinning the project; the only truly fixed points in the grid-modular plan are the four service and circulation hubs that run through all nine floors.
The extension building may be tall (reaching around about the same height as the old office, although much slimmer), but its size pays tribute to the original structure on site. A long section reveals that in a similar way, both old and new volumes appear suspended above their connecting base, living next to each other in harmony. The 1960s Tschumi/Bonnard building still seemingly floats above the entire complex, maintaining its iconic presence.
Currently in construction and seen here in all its brutalist, concrete glory, the project is set to be completed later in autumn 2020.
INFORMATION
Wallpaper* Newsletter + Free Download
For a free digital copy of August Wallpaper*, celebrating Creative America, sign up today to receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories
-
Hamburg’s new food court Le Big TamTam offers traditional flavours in an irreverent setting
Le Big TamTam, designed by Studio Aisslinger, marks a new era in Hamburg’s hospitality-rich Hanse District
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
Celebrating James Barnor, the photographer who captured pre- and post-colonial Ghana
Photographer James Barnor is in the spotlight at 95, his work the subject of a series of exhibitions and events in Ghana
By Ugonna-Ora Owoh Published
-
Hideaway House in London features timber panelling inspired by the New York hospitality scene
The elegantly refurbished Hideaway House by Studio McW in London features timber panelling inspired by the Four Seasons in New York
By Léa Teuscher Published
-
Remembering Alexandros Tombazis (1939-2024), and the Metabolist architecture of this 1970s eco-pioneer
Back in September 2010 (W*138), we explored the legacy and history of Greek architect Alexandros Tombazis, who this month celebrates his 80th birthday.
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
The newest Centre Point Residences’ showcase is a masterful balance of art and furniture
Conran and Partners’ new apartment design for Centre Point Residences balances artwork and curated furniture and objects to craft a space that feels intimate yet luxurious
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Frank Lloyd Wright architecture: from Prairie House to Guggenheim New York
Frank Lloyd Wright, hailed among the 20th century's greatest architects, has left a rich legacy that inspires to this day; here, we invite you to dive into his world
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
John Lautner’s Sheats-Goldstein Residence shows off its estate’s entertainment wing
The Goldstein Entertainment Complex at the estate of the Sheats-Goldstein Residence reveals its newest additions by the complex’s architects of record Conner + Perry Architects
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
We tour Caracas’ treasure trove of modernist architecture gems
Explore Caracas; the Venezuelan capital is full of midcentury modern and brutalist architecture with a tropical twist
By Adam Štěch Published
-
All hail the power of concrete architecture
‘Concrete Architecture’ surveys more than a century’s worth of the world’s most influential buildings using the material, from brutalist memorials to sculptural apartment blocks
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Three Object Apartment embraces raw concrete honesty in the heart of Athens
Three Object Apartment by DeMachinas is a raw concrete home in Athens, which confidently celebrates its modernist bones
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Modernist architecture: inspiration from across the globe
Modernist architecture has had a tremendous influence on today’s built environment, making these midcentury marvels some of the most closely studied 20th-century buildings; here, we explore the genre by continent
By Ellie Stathaki Published