Canton of Zurich, ETH Zurich

The name ‘AgroVet-Strickhof’ is an amalgamation of the three partners ETH Zurich (agricultural sciences), the University of Zurich (Vetsuisse) and the canton of Zurich (Strickhof). Under the motto ‘from feed to food’, farmers, agronomists and vets will work together to carry out research into a sustainable global food supply. The requirements of the planning and execution partners were just as unique as the centre itself. Modern research facilities such as respiration chambers had to be integrated, the priorities of the future users aligned, and the requirements of the unusual inhabitants met – such as the electromagnetic hypersensitivity of cows, for example. Itten+Brechbühl won the open competition for the centre's design back in 2012 with a clean-lined urban solution. Just as in the competition entry, the end construction is dominated by the distinctive and functional shed roofs and wood throughout. A clear distinction between the functional areas can be seen in the arrangement of the buildings and continues in the colour scheme of the interior rooms – yellow in the laboratories, green in the sheds and the metabolism centre, and aubergine in the Forum.