Inauguration of new Roche Pharma Research building in Basel
On 5 December, after a construction phase lasting two years, Roche has inaugurated the new Pharma Research Building designed by the Basel architects Herzog & de Meuron. Planning and construction of the new Research Building cost a total of 150 million Swiss francs. This major investment underscores Roche’s continued commitment to chemical research in Basel. Fritz Gerber, Chairman of the Board of Directors commented: “We have equipped this Research Building with state-of-the-art technology to meet the challenges of the future. Thus we can be even more efficient in the search for innovative active substances.”
Basel is the largest of Roche’s six research sites world-wide and concentrates on the investigation of metabolic diseases and the Central Nervous System. The 300 or so chemists and biologists based in the new Research Building will employ leading edge technology to study new active substances.
The building, with its special exterior and its functional, highly flexible design, is an example of Roche’s commitment to high quality industrial architecture. This striking new structure, with its all glass facade, is a worthy addition to a catalogue which already includes buildings designed by architects of the stature of Otto R. Salvisberg and Roland Rohn.
Roche employs about 8600 staff in Switzerland based at Basel (Corporate headquarters), Reinach (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Kaiseraugst (AG), Sisseln (AG), Lalden (VS), Rotkreuz and Cham (ZG). In addition to being the home of the corporate administrative centre, Basel is an important production location and a key research centre for the Pharmaceuticals, Vitamins and Fine Chemicals Divisions. The main research areas of Roche are disorders of the central nervous system, genitourinary, and metabolism as well as inflammatory and bone diseases, oncology, vascular disorders and viral infections.
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