The 'Roche Tower' is 178 meters high and towers over the Basel skyline. The building, currently the tallest in Switzerland, surpasses the Prime Tower in Zurich, which used to be the tallest, by 52 meters. The new headquarters of the pharmaceutical company Hoffmann-La Roche represents another milestone for the architects of the Basel office of the world-renowned firm Herzog & de Meuron.
The imposing glass tower takes its cue from the simple shape of a triangle, which recalls the company logo, and then narrows down to a stairway of 41 steps.
On the west side, each elevation arranged as a step consists of two floors. The restaurant and company canteen are on the third and fourth floors. The eye-catching feature of the entrance area are the three GEZE custom-made fully automatic revolving door systems of the TSA 325 NT series. Placed at the central entrance, with a continuous coming and going, they are the perfect solution for managing surfaces subjected to intense traffic in a safe and reliable way. The three-layer glass structures with a passage width of 2.82 meters for each door and a passage height of 3.28 for two doors and 3.48 meters for the third give a high level of practicality. With elegantly framed doors and glass side elements, the doors fit perfectly into the minimalist interior design and underline the comfortable atmosphere. Thanks to the maximum transparency, the doors allow you to make the most of the natural light that filters from the stairs, which connect many floors. In restaurant areas, revolving doors allow you to maintain a good temperature. In fact, being open and closed at the same time, they optimize internal air conditioning, minimize drafts and also have an acoustic insulation effect.
Way beyond the highest standards
Revolving doors from GEZE are characterized by the highest safety standards. In fact, they comply with DIN 18650 and EN 16005 protocols. Pressing a special button slows down the rotation speed of the door leaves to allow the passage of people with reduced mobility.
Safety lock - escape route in case of emergency
As emergency doors, the Roche Tower revolving doors were designed as a “break-out solution”. In the event of an emergency, the break-out accessories are used for further opening, allowing manual rotation of the door to create maximum passage space and allowing you to leave the restaurant and canteen as quickly as possible and in total safety.
Maximum design freedom with customized solutions
It is impossible to imagine customized architecture without ad hoc building solutions. The revolving door lighting is proof of how GEZE is able to respond to specific needs with comprehensive solutions: GEZE has created all the conditions for customized lighting solutions to be integrated into the door construction. The revolving doors of the Roche Tower were designed and manufactured in the GEZE factory which deals with solutions for specific projects. GEZE has a production line for revolving doors and curved sliding doors in a wide variety of designs and sizes.
Related news: Basel: Roche tower inaugurated, tallest skyscraper in Switzerland
