In Geneva, the WHO headquarters, located in a building by Tschumi, called for a substantial extension. Our proposal consisted of an extension perpendicular to the existing building, creating a focal point where the old and new buildings meet. A huge roof canopy extends above the garden forming a generous new public communal realm. The new wing has a public ground floor with a restaurant and exhibition spaces, a semi-public auditorium underneath and 7 levels of office spaces above and a shop area on top.
The ground floor is a continuation of the adjacent landscape. The route through the existing entrance is continued into the new wing with a large staircase that creates a visual transparency through all the floors of the new building. On each floor the core hosts the semi-public meeting rooms, wet zones and staircase. To get a nice climate in the basement, the meeting rooms are connected to the ground floor by a patio to allow in natural light.
