Roche site development Basel
Roche is shaping the future of pharmaceuticals at its headquarters in Basel. By the end of the decade, state-of-the-art research and production buildings will be built on the north and south sites, which will not only strengthen the innovation location, but also set new standards for sustainable urban development. The investments exceed 1.2 billion Swiss francs and signal a long-term commitment to the city and region.
The first development phase of the Roche site was completed at the end of 2023, and now a new stage follows. One of Europe’s most important research infrastructures will be built on the north site by 2030. The core project is Building 12, a 72-metre-high research and development building with space for around 450 researchers. The new building will replace the outdated infrastructure and create optimal conditions for developing novel active ingredients from basic research to production maturity. With an investment volume of around 500 million Swiss francs, Building 12 will become the central interface between research and clinical development.
At the same time, the Institute of Human Biology in Building 92 will be expanded into a new center for biological model research. Around 100 million francs are being invested in the modernization and conversion. The aim is to link academic and industrial research in order to make complex human cell models usable for drug development.
Production is also undergoing a fundamental overhaul. State-of-the-art facilities for the development and commercialization of synthetically produced active ingredients will be built in buildings 50 and 51 by 2028. A new era of pharmaceutical process innovation will be ushered in here with a modular design, digital control and high energy efficiency. The investment framework for these projects is around CHF 570 million.
Sustainable urban development on the south site
Parallel to the research on the north side, Roche is pursuing a long-term sustainable development strategy on the south site. The site on the Rhine is being redesigned in close consultation with Basel politicians. The revised development plan provides for generous green spaces, ecological networking along the banks of the Rhine and integration into Solitude Park. Old building structures will be gradually dismantled and building materials reused according to the principle of the circular economy.
The Canton of Basel-Stadt is actively supporting this process. The cantonal government and the Grand Council support the approach of upgrading the southern area in terms of urban development without providing for public thoroughfares or expropriation. This means that the site will remain within the company’s own control, but will be opened up in the future through landscaping connections and new open space concepts.
Signal for Switzerland as a business location
Since 2015, Roche has invested around eight billion Swiss francs in its Swiss sites and over 33 billion in national research and development. In Basel alone, further facilities for research, production and infrastructure will be built by 2029, including a new underground heating and cooling center to ensure security of supply for the entire site. The construction work on the north and south sites is emblematic of sustainable, resource-conserving site development that combines business, the city and science.
The next few years will be characterized by intensive construction phases, urban planning coordination and technological innovations. With the ongoing development of the site, Roche is not only strengthening Basel as a pharmaceutical location, but is also sending out a strong signal of its long-term commitment to Switzerland as a place for cutting-edge research, sustainable architecture and shaping the urban future.