19.11.2016 - 07.05.2017

Schweizweit

ARCHITECTURE RÉCENTE EN SUISSE
ARCHITETTURA RECENTE IN SVIZZERA
RECENT ARCHITECTURE IN SWITZERLAND
 

In 1992 the artist Ben Vautier made a provocative statement with the inscription “La Suisse n’existe pas” at the entrance to the Swiss pavilion at the Expo in Seville. He wanted to point out the linguistic and cultural diversity of the country, but touched a sensitive nerve. It could equally be claimed that “L’architecture Suisse n’existe pas”. Whilst the image of Swiss architecture, especially internationally, is still strongly characterised by the 1990s and minimalism, the constructed reality is more regionally differentiated and heterogeneous: “Swiss architectures” rather than “Swiss architecture”.
The first exhibition under the leadership of S AM Director Andreas Ruby reflects his vision for the S AM: without thresholds, contemporary, collaborative, Switzerland-wide. In co-operation with 162 architectural practices from all regions of the country the S AM has created a visual atlas of current Swiss architecture. Switzerland is transported into the museum via large-format projections. The exhibition shows the commonalities and differences in the themes, content and formal strategies that Swiss architects focus on today.

Beitrag zu «Schweizweit» auf espazium!

Upcoming exhibitions

19.09.2026 - 03.01.2027

Tony Fretton: Practice

Opening: 18/9/2026, 7 PM

The S AM Swiss Architecture Museum is proud to announce PRACTICE, a retrospective exhibition of selected projects of architect Tony Fretton (b. 1945, London). He established Tony Fretton Architects in London in 1984, which ran until 2024. His published texts on architecture are numerous, and he has taught extensively, including as Chair of Interiors Buildings and Cities at the Faculty of Architecture at TU Delft, and as guest professor at GSD Harvard, ETH Zurich and EPFL Lausanne. He lives and works in London.

Fretton’s buildings and projects are presented at S AM through texts, photographs and drawings. Together, they show Fretton’s practice as continuity of reflection on the existing environment, including the social, cultural and political dimensions of the city and what lies outside it.