The Embassy of Switzerland in Singapore, located amidst a serene natural landscape in the northern suburbs of the country, is a renovation and expansion project that sits on a footprint of 1,500 sq.m. Designed by the Zurich-based Berrel Kräutler Architekten, founded by architects Maurice Berrel and Raphael Kräutler, the building and its design were selected through an architectural competition that the firm won in 2019. The Swiss architecture practice was established in 2003 and now specialises in large-scale public architecture and urban planning interventions through open competitions.

Originally a 1984-built chancery building, the existing structure and landscape were modified for ease of circulation and privacy and to accommodate new areas, including a cafeteria, a conference room and an adjoining waiting area. The new section can be accessed from outside and inside of the building and the areas can be opened up to accommodate a larger group of people for events or significant presentations. The primary entrance was positioned at the corner of the square building, breaking the geometry of the volume. To restore visual balance to the disrupted volume, the Swiss architects completed the cuboidal form and eliminated the corner to create an additional entrance to the building. A new section was added to the western side of the building with a separate entrance, featuring filleted glass walls to provide uninterrupted views of the surrounding landscape.

One of the most defining characteristics of the building’s contemporary architecture is the roof design, where the newly constructed elevated cantilever subtly breaks the predictable and symmetrical form of the square-shaped roof. The cantilever is bent upwards, visually expanding the spatial experience while still maintaining the square geometry of the building. The meticulously executed expansive roof seamlessly merges the existing roof with the new one, covering the entirety of the outdoor areas including the main entrance and the building’s extension. The building’s curtain glazing underneath the extended roof’s bulky profile appears to be floating with weightlessness, bearing direct contrast in material as well as formal language.

The landscape design leverages the site’s features to shape a roundabout for the elevated primary entrance, along with several mounds that thoughtfully integrate pathways and staircases that lead to the lower level. A curved, exposed concrete retaining wall shapes the descent that leads to the parking area’s entrance, located beneath the newly constructed section of the building. While the massive cantilever dominates the front facade of the building, uniformly placed columns and the curved retaining wall of the concrete architecture define the east, west and north   facade designs.

Predominantly construed in glass and concrete, the building borrows views from its surroundings as a canvas for its minimalist interior design with the right hint of monotony. Curtains are used instead of blinds or solid walls for an airy and light ambience, ensuring degrees of privacy, reflections and light within the spaces. The central courtyard is retained to preserve the visual and spatial character of the original structure’s envisaged built environment. The interior spaces are organised around the square courtyard design, which further fills the space with natural light and facilitates the distinction of areas within an open-plan layout.

Areas such as the reception desk, lift, washrooms and other utilities are strategically placed in a linear core behind the entrance lobby of the building, to preserve continuous and uninterrupted floor space for 30 shared and private workspaces. The common area comprises a large shared working area with desks that are separated by storage cabinets, along with two meeting rooms and a staircase on either side of the courtyard. The north and south edges of the building are defined by distinct enclosed offices and private meeting areas.

Embassy buildings—a distinct kind of institutional architecture—often exhibit an architectural character that is reminiscent of their vernacular or native in an attempt to establish an identity on foreign lands. The Swiss Embassy’s design, with its sloping roof and sweeping white profile is similarly reminiscent of Switzerland’s public buildings, with a scope for creating a familiar workplace for the foreign diplomats in Singapore. Through thoughtful segregation of areas and restrictive use of material and colours, the building prioritises minimal design, rooted in functionality and simplicity. The lush outdoor views of the site and the large courtyard through the glass facade further contribute to creating a pleasant work environment within the building, pointing to more universal values in good design.

Project Details

Name: Swiss Embassy Singapore
Location: 1 Swiss Club Link, Singapore 288162
Client: Bundesamt für Bauten und Logistik BBL
Architect: Berrel Kräutler Architekten AG, Zürich
Landscape Architect: ORT AG für Landschaftsarchitektur, Zürich
Main Contractor: TSF, Singapore
Construction engineers: Dr. Neven Kostic GmbH, Zürich
Construction physicist: Kuster + Partner, Zürich
HVAC engineers: Ingenieurbüro Brügger GmbH, Frutigen
Lighting planner: Saturday Design, Singapore
Electrical planner: Mettler + Partner AG Consulting, Zürich
Visuals: maaars, Zürich
Floor Area: 1,500 sqm
Year of completion: 2024