Popular architectural designs that never saw the light of day but are still talked about in Switzerland today are the subject of the exhibition «What if – Unbuilt Architecture in Switzerland» at the S AM Swiss Architecture Museum in Basel until 7 April 2024. One of the representative projects presented there is the BIZ Tower.

While the high-rise building for the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), built by Burckhardt in the 1970s, now defines the Basel skyline with its unique shape, many people are unaware of the original design. What was the initial idea, which drafts were discarded, and what further insights were incorporated?

Almost two dozen architectural institutions from all parts of Switzerland will be on display at «What if» with a selection of designs from a virtually endless pool of projects. We are delighted to be part of it!

Click here for more information on the current exhibition at S AM.
You can read the S AM press release on the exhibition here.

Find out more about the architecture of the BIZ Tower.

Photos: Bank for International Settlements Archive, Basel; Tom Bisig; Burckhardt Architecture