American firm Steven Holl Architects in collaboration with Swiss company Rüssli Architekten has won an international design competition for the Geneva operational centre for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
The design, to be called Colours of Humanity, contains photovoltaic glass that produces a large portion of the building’s energy while also providing shading. The project’s roof will also house photovoltaic panels that will help the building to generate 72% of its operational usage.
Steven Holl Architects said the design had a "cubic geometry" that would make it easy to add extensions to in the future.
The interior of the centre has criss-crossing passages, encouraging interaction between staff. The passages are lined with seating alcoves and other small-scale social gathering spaces.
The centre will provide work and social spaces for more than 250 MSF staff, who will support the activities of more than 6,500 field staff in 23 countries.
The building will also house the "international office" of the MSF movement, which includes activities related to the Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines and international projects piloted from Geneva.
Steven Holl Architects and Rüssli Architekten were unanimously selected in the international competition, which included Pool Architekten & Mak Architecture, Sauerbruch Hutton and Emilio Tuñon Arquitectos.
Images courtesy of Steven Holl Architects
