Camilla Köppel & Tino Nuesch

The CAB building at ETH Zurich, one of the oldest buildings on the university campus and of particular importance as a listed building, requires special care in its future development. With the impending relocation of the IT Institute, a new opportunity for transformation arises for CAB.

However, how can this historically valuable building be adapted to preserve its qualities while simultaneously creating usable spaces that enhance interaction between architecture and users?

Our intervention is not intended as a final project but rather as a continuation, aiming to introduce fresh momentum through a comprehensive restoration of the building's history.

By redesigning the basement into informal learning spaces, we make previously unseen areas visible and accessible. Our intervention aims to open up a new perspective by designing the basement as a point of connection between people and technology. In doing so, we introduce an autonomous structure that supports the building like crutches, enriching and promoting both its past and the future development of ETH Zurich.