Swiss Re yesterday inaugurated the new LAKE building in Zurich, together with representatives from the City of Zurich, politics and business. LAKE completes the Campus Mythenquai ensemble on the shores of Lake Zurich, providing around 50 000 square metres of modern office space.
Designed by Meili & Peter and GFA Gruppe für Architektur, LAKE combines architecture with resource-efficient building technology. As with the neighbouring Swiss Re Next office building, water from Lake Zurich helps cool LAKE, while its concrete structure acts as thermal storage. Demand-controlled ventilation and photovoltaic panels on the roof complement the energy concept. The building meets the Minergie-P ECO and LEED Platinum sustainability standards.
A broader mix of industries at Mythenquai
LAKE reflects the continued development of Mythenquai as a business location. An international technology company will become the building's main tenant, broadening the mix of international businesses at Mythenquai, an area traditionally home to several large insurance companies.
Gianfranco Lot, Country President Switzerland at Swiss Re, said: "Around 100 companies were involved in the construction of LAKE, including numerous Swiss SMEs. At the same time, new publicly accessible amenities will open up the site further to the surrounding neighbourhood. LAKE therefore represents not only modern architecture, but also local economic value creation and benefits for Zurich as a business location."
New amenities for the neighbourhood include publicly accessible dining facilities and a landscaped lakeside terrace. The new public Hafen Enge car park, offering around 140 parking spaces, is expected to open in November 2026.
Following completion, the office spaces will be handed over to tenants for their individual fit-outs and subsequently occupied in stages.
The Mythenquai site has a history spanning more than a century. Its foundations were laid in 1913 by architects Emil Faesch and Alexander von Senger with the building now known as Swiss Re Altbau. In 2017, Swiss Re moved into the new Swiss Re Next building, designed by Diener & Diener Architekten. With LAKE, the ensemble on the shores of Lake Zurich gains its final addition for the foreseeable future.
