Swissgrid Headquarters

High voltage meets architecture

The new headquarters of Swissgrid AG, Switzerland's national electricity company, and an adjoining L-shaped residential building with 50 rental apartments were built on the former Electrolux site. The building houses the control centre of the Swiss high-voltage grid - a component of Switzerland's critical infrastructure. With its striking glass-brass façade it sets an architectural tine in Aarau.

The Swissgrid building consists of four upper flours, arranged around an inner, landscaped courtyard. The reception area, with a lounge area and conference rooms and cafeteria leading off of it, allows for a multitude of various working, meeting and conference forms/options. The concept of openness is followed through on the office floors with open-plan offices, creating the suitable working environment.

The most contemporary grid control centre in the world

The new grid control centre is the heart of the building. The control centre of the Swiss transmission grid is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and fulfils the highest security requirements. A large screen display has been installed for security surveyance. Consisting of 24 laser-controlled monitors, each individually controllable, it is one of the most contemporary of its kind worldwide. The display is designed to last ten years without interruption. The Swissgrid building proved to be a particularly exciting and challenging project due to its complex technical installations and high security requirements during the actual construction period.

Sustainability guaranteed

With its Minergie, Minergie-P, extended Minergie-ECO criteria and greenproperty seal of approval, the headquarters more than meet sustainability requirements. The building is connected to regional heating/cooling network based on renewable energies and at the same time uses free-cooling systems and cooling heat recovery systems. Furthermore, there is a rooftop photovoltaic system with a capacity of 240 kilowatts per hour.