Roche had originally intended to submit its building application for the high-rise in the second quarter of 2009. However, in the course of the development work it became apparent that the building would not be capable of satisfying key functional requirements despite the high investment. Furthermore, the planned building would be very complex to maintain and operate.
Nevertheless, Roche intends to consolidate the 1,700-plus off-site workplaces in Basel at its headquarters, and to this end will prepare an alternative project. The company believes that it will still be able to adhere to its existing time schedule.
Severin Schwan, CEO of the Roche Group, said: “After examining the project closely, we came to the conclusion that although the office high-rise was feasible, it was unable to meet all our functional requirements. The planning team’s experience will now be put to good use in developing an alternative approach to provide for the required office space.”