Building 140 CERN

Location
Geneva, CH
Client
CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research
Initiated
2024
Size
15.559 sqm
Project Team, Photos & Collaborators
Javier Cuartero, Sebastian van Damme, Renata Gilio, Narine Gyulkhasyan, Aleksandar Hrib, Sophie Ize, Aida Jalili, Kees Kaan, Jan Teunis ten Kate, Bo Kuiper, Marco Lanna, Yinghao Lin, Jannik Niewiadomski, Vincent Panhuysen, Amir Shokouhi, Dikkie Scipio, Joeri Spijkers,

Photos
Visualizations by Filippo Bolognese

Collaborators
FRES Architectes, B + B, Amsterdam, TEKHNE, Gruner AG, Basel, BETELEC, Genève, INEXIS, T-Group, SuReal, PEUTZ, EPPAG, GADZ

Located on the French-Swiss border, CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics, is home to cutting-edge accelerators, including the renowned Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Since the 1950s, CERN has evolved into a vibrant campus and is now entering a transformative phase under the CERN Master Plan 2040, with Building 140 playing a central role in redefining the Meyrin site.

Building 140 is a state-of-the-art, sustainable facility designed to enhance the campus’s urban identity by bringing together key activities in a single hub. It will house laboratories, workshops, learning spaces, and offices, fostering collaboration and innovation. Positioned prominently near the main entrance, the building will serve as a highly visible landmark, strengthening connections across the campus while symbolising its architectural evolution.

Spanning approximately 15,600 m², the design is compact and pragmatic, optimising the layout for each function while accommodating future growth. The project will be delivered in two phases: the first will focus on the Experimental Physics Department, providing advanced facilities for the Detector Technologies group, while the second will establish the CERN Learning Center, alongside spaces for International Relations, a Plenary room for the CERN Directorate, and a cafeteria.

The building’s facades harmonise with the surrounding landscape, incorporating a modular grid system that ensures flexibility and adaptability. Building 140 represents a significant step forward for the Meyrin campus, combining innovation, sustainability, and functionality to support CERN’s mission of advancing scientific excellence and fostering knowledge exchange.