Summary
The architecture firm Sanchez Morgillo from Zurich won the open architecture competition for Agroscope's new bee research center with the project "ZÜGELTAG". The winning project impresses through consistent reuse of building materials and sustainable, future-proof construction methods. The center will be built at the central research campus in Posieux (FR) and will replace the existing bee research center in Liebefeld.
People
- Sanchez Morgillo (Architecture firm)
Topics
- Architecture competition
- Sustainable construction
- Bee research
- Agroscope location strategy
Clarus Lead
The Federal Office of Buildings and Logistics BBL has announced the winner of a single-stage, anonymous architecture competition for Agroscope's new bee research center. The project "ZÜGELTAG" prevailed from 105 submitted projects from Switzerland and eight European countries. The decision is relevant for implementing Agroscope's location strategy and signals priority for sustainable research infrastructure. The winning team will now begin developing a preliminary project, with results expected for early 2027.
Detailed Summary
The winning project is distinguished by its consistent guiding principle of reusing building materials. The primary structure is constructed from locally available demolition elements and thus provides a robust, use-neutral and flexible foundation. This flexibility enables operationally efficient space organization: logistics and storage areas are located on the ground floor, while research and work spaces are situated on the upper floor. Short distances and clear spatial structures support collaborative work practices and meet modern requirements for sustainable construction.
Agroscope's Center for Bee Research (ZBF) will be relocated from its current location in Liebefeld to the central campus in Posieux. The institute, founded in 1907, focuses on applied research for beekeeping with the goal of securing pollination of cultivated and wild plants, ensuring high-quality bee products, and counteracting bee colony loss. The relocation is part of Agroscope's location strategy, gradually implemented since 2020, which provides for a central research campus in Posieux, one research center each in Changins (VD) and Reckenholz (ZH), as well as experimental stations.
Key Points
- 105 projects from Switzerland and eight European countries were submitted
- Winning project is based on material reuse and sustainable construction methods
- New infrastructure supports collaborative research through optimized space organization
- Preliminary project with costs and schedule expected for early 2027
- Relocation is part of the Agroscope location strategy to consolidate research sites
Critical Questions
Evidence: What specific sustainability criteria were applied in the evaluation process, and how was the equivalence of the 105 submissions ensured?
Costs: How do the estimated construction costs of the winning project compare to the original budget specifications, and what risks arise from reusing demolition elements?
Causality: To what extent does the spatial proximity of logistics and research actually contribute to better research results, or are alternative layouts equivalent?
Feasibility: How realistic is the procurement of sufficient local demolition elements of the required quality and quantity for the entire primary structure?
Conflicts of Interest: Were there jury members with financial or institutional interests in the relocation decision?
Alternatives: Were scenarios examined that evaluate renovation of the existing Liebefeld location against new construction in Posieux?
Bibliography
Primary Source: Design competition for the new bee research center of Agroscope in Posieux decided – Press Release, Federal Office of Buildings and Logistics BBL, March 10, 2026
Verification Status: ✓ March 10, 2026
This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-checking: March 10, 2026