In the summer of 2015, a long-awaited new architecture guide appeared on the market, bringing together Switzerland’s best structures of the 21st century. The heterogeneity of the types of structures is significant in itself: from bridges and bus terminals to heating stations, almost every kind of construction project is included. In Switzerland, the will to be amongst good design does not end at one’s own front door.Here, design competitions often serve as a means to find good architectural solutions – and not just in public projects. Although a competition might, at first glance, appear to be a lengthy, costly, and unpredictable process for the owners, it often generates diverse and apt proposed solutions. Via the competition process, not only individual buildings, but also entire sites can be carefully planned in a manner that suits the context (fig. 1: Schoren site design competition, Basel). Competition processes also give young offices the opportunity to secure contracts and to realize their first projects.Switzerland’s rich architectural heritage has long been a location factor that is protected not only by federal monument preservation, but also by non-profit players or regional initiatives. These help to raise the public’s awareness of its built environment. Thus, tourists do not only benefit from this country’s unique nature, but also from accommodation with modern comfort – often in historical buildings. Here, locally available materials and traditional craftsmanship are being used to an increasing extent, so as to integrate buildings into the existing context, because the authenticity of a historical building conveys much more than a newly built boutique hotel with an interior that makes it impossible to tell if one is in Zermatt, Crans-Montana or Mont- Tremblant (fig. 2: Conversion and renovation of Hotel Hecht, Basel).Demand for building renovation, instead of demolition and new construction, is also increasing in urban contexts (fig. 3: Credit Suisse renovation in Geneva). Here, the main tasks primarily involve the reorganization of (office) floor plans, the updating of energy standards, earthquakerelated requirements, and space optimization. New open-plan office structures are replacing old individual offices along endless corridors and new communal areas are being created as places to meet (fig. 4: Renovation and raising of an office, Basel). Rooms are becoming more transparent and flexible.Space optimization is a current topic in large Swiss cities. There is a shortage of space; for cities like Geneva and Basel, close to the country’s borders, growth is now only possible to a limited extent. At the same time, the trend of living and working in city centers continues unabated. One of the solutions is densification: here, adding stories or building upward has more than just economic advantages. Basel’s “Bau 1”, belonging to the pharmaceutical company Roche, is currently the tallest building in Switzerland, at 178 m. However, buildings are already shooting upward in other cities too: not only office buildings, but also high-rise residential buildings (fig. 5: Tour de Cèdres design competition, Lausanne).As Switzerland’s land consumption per capita is growing rapidly and the proportion of vacant urban living space is reaching a historical low, innovative solutions must also be found here, in order to prevent crowding out and to create affordable living space for low earners as well (fig. 6: Cooperative housing development ecoquartier, Nyon).Alongside the public sector, housing cooperatives are also playing an increasingly important role in Switzerland as investors and providers of funding. Here, depending on the contract, architects focus on the social mix, a broad range of age groups, or residents’ special requirements.For some construction tasks, however, a new building is often necessary, for instance when extremely strict requirements apply, such as in buildings for hospitals or the pharmaceutical industry (fig. 7/8: New BATLab building for the Geneva University Hospitals, HUG).High-security laboratories where viruses and bacteria are studied, and modern laboratories with a pleasant working environment for staff despite all the safety precautions, are rarely possible to realize in an old building. Here too, or especially here, communication spaces are essential for staff, in order to promote an uncomplicated exchange and to provide balance with regard to the work in the cleanroom or laboratory (fig. 9/10: Philip Morris Research & Development Center, Neuchâtel).In addition, buildings for research and development are an important location factor, helping Switzerland to remain an attractive destination for scientists from all over the world. Excellent universities need appropriate structural conditions (fig. 11: MHSP research building at ETH, Zurich). All in all, Switzerland offers architects a good breeding ground for attractive projects and extraordinary architecture. Author: Nicole Dupré Burckhardt+Partner Ltd.All projects shown are from Burckhardt+Partner Ltd. which is one of the largest and most influential architecture, interior design, and urban planning firms in Switzerland. Founded in 1951, with offices in Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne and Zurich, they have completed more than 3’000 projects in CH and abroad. They are renowned for their commitment to design excellence, innovation, and sustainability - www.burckhardtpartner.ch