Roche Diagnostics Strategic Master Planning, China / USA / Spain

For a fast-growing multinational company, establishing a presence in multiple countries demands faultless coordination; something which Roche Diagnostics, a division of the Swiss pharma giant, has been perfecting since 2014 through its strategic master plan. The vision set out in this plan is perfectly illustrated by the creation of three new facilities, each on a separate continent: Suzhou (China), Tucson (USA) and Barcelona (Spain).

Although their footprint varies considerably - 80,000 m², 50,000 m² and 25,000 m² respectively - all three investments achieve the same two goals: to create a global vision of collaborative workspaces, at the same time as achieving diversity of architectural styles. The arid climate of Arizona, the Classical Gardens of Suzhou (a UNESCO cultural heritage site) and the Mediterranean identity of Barcelona have all had a direct influence on the buildings created there.

Technical Sheet

• Architects: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (Suzhou), ZGF Architects (Tucson) and battleiroig (Barcelona)

• Developer: Roche Diagnostics

An ambition driven by energy. The facade of the Barcelona headquarters building is inspired by the concept of a sunshade, and its use of horizontal acetylated wood slats makes the building more energy efficient. The Tucson facility is powered 100% by renewable energy. And in China, the administration building has been awarded LEED Platinum certification; the highest level of environmental excellence.